Optical Engineer, RTP, Test Software Architecture and Optics NPI

Meta; Menlo Park, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Meta seeks an Optical Engineer to drive optics validation within RTP-NPI, pairing deep optical-transceiver expertise with Python-based test software to qualify optical modules and lead NPI programs end to end. You will set technical direction for optics test automation and collaborate with vendors through EVT/DVT/PVT stages to mass production.

We value hands-on work in the lab, travel to vendor/manufacturing sites, and experience with data analysis, PRD/test plans, and advanced modulation

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in CS, CE, or equivalent practical experience.
• 8+ years in development roles for optical networking hardware.
• Experience building production-quality Python test software.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed optical/electrical test and lab instrumentation.
• Experience leading optical transceiver NPI programs with vendors/ODMs.

Responsibilities

• Set technical direction for optics test automation.
• Lead NPI execution with vendors/ODMs through EVT/DVT/PVT to mass production.
• Develop/test infrastructure for optical modules and contribute to standards and ecosystem partnerships.

Skills

Python

Optical test & measurement

NPI program leadership

Git/Mercurial

Lab instrumentation

NumPy/pandas/SQL

C/C++/MATLAB/Rust

Education

Bachelor's degree in CS/CE or equivalent

Tools

Git/Mercurial

Monorepo workflows

SCPI/VISA/PyVISA

Job description

The Meta Hardware Design and Release to Production (Hardware Design and Release to Production) team ensures that the hardware running in Meta's production fleet is stable, secure, performant, and delivers the most value.

Within HDRTP, the Release to Production New Product Introduction (Release to Production New Product Introduction) team finds, debugs, and remediates hardware failure modes before certifying new platforms for mass production, and then sustains them across the deployed lifecycle.

We are looking for an Optical Engineer to drive optics validation within RTP-NPI — pairing deep optical-transceiver expertise with software engineering skills to build the Python-based test software infrastructure that qualifies optical communications modules and to lead optical transceiver NPI programs end to end.

In this role, you will set technical direction for optics test automation, drive hands‑on NPI execution with vendors and ODMs through EVT/DVT/PVT to mass production, and contribute to industry standards, vendor engagements, and ecosystem partnerships in optical networking.

Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience8+ years in development roles for optical networking hardware, with a proven track record of taking new products into volume production

Demonstrated experience in designing and building production-quality test software (not just scripts) in Python, including modular, reusable test frameworks

Hands‑on experience with high‑speed optical and electrical test, test automation, and lab instrumentation

Experience leading optical transceiver NPI programs with vendors and/or ODMs Experience with version control (Git/Mercurial), large monorepo workflows, and collaborative/distributed software development environments

Familiarity with data center network architecture, fleet health/sustaining concepts, and high‑volume manufacturing test flows

Willingness to work hands‑on in the lab and to travel to vendor, ODM, and manufacturing sites as needed to support NPI builds

Experience creating or influencing product requirements documents (PRDs), test plans, and data sheets

Expertise in optical test and measurement: BER/FEC, pre‑FEC/post‑FEC analysis, eye diagrams, TDECQ, OSNR, optical spectrum, and link budgets

Data engineering for test and fleet health: schema design, database/warehouse persistence, dashboards, and statistical analysis of measurement data (e.g., NumPy, pandas, SQL)

Experience with optical integration including InP PICs, silicon‑photonic PICs, PIC‑IC integration, and 3D optical packaging technologies

Experience driving NPI milestones (EVT/DVT/PVT/MTF), production‑readiness reviews, and transferring test infrastructure to contract manufacturers / ODM factory lines (including dual‑ODM strategies)

Experience building instrument‑control and test‑automation frameworks (e.g., SCPI/VISA, PyVISA, vendor APIs) and abstracting heterogeneous instruments behind clean interfaces

Proficiency in Python software engineering: object‑oriented design, abstraction layers, type hints, unit/integration testing, code review, and CI/CD discipline

Familiarity with additional languages is useful: C/C++, MATLAB, or Rust

Ability to set technical direction across a multi‑quarter NPI program, define scope and priorities when requirements are incomplete, and align cross‑functional and external partners (vendors, ODMs, TPM, Production Engineering)

Track record of mentoring engineers, improving engineering practices through code reviews, documentation, and technical standards, and influencing without direct authority

Deep knowledge of pluggable optical transceivers and form factors (QSFP‑DD, OSFP, QSFP112) and the CMIS management interface

Experience with advanced modulation formats and direct‑detect and coherent systems (e.g., OOK, PAM‑4, QPSK, 8‑QAM, 16‑QAM) and related concepts