Optical Hardware Engineering Technical Leader, Acacia (Hybrid)

Cisco Systems, Inc.; Maynard (MA); On-site; USD 179,000 - 254,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems, Inc. in Maynard, MA is seeking experienced optical transceiver engineers to join the Acacia team developing high-performance, low-power coherent transceivers. You will work with DSP, SW, HW, and PIC teams to optimize designs and verify performance for high-volume manufacturing.

You will contribute to calibration procedures, test development, and production readiness to maximize yield and minimize power. Strong background in photonics and coherent communications is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree with 12+ years of experience or Master's degree with 8 years of experience, or PhD with 5 years of related experience.
• Demonstrated experience with coherent optical communications and DSP optimization.
• Demonstrated experience with photonics integrated circuits and their controls for coherent optical transmission.

Responsibilities

• Bring-up and optimization of each new coherent transceiver design, including optimization of operating conditions of optical and electrical components.
• Provide guidance and test results for the development of the integrated optics, high speed electronics, and DSP to maximize performance and minimize size and power consumption of Cisco's coherent optical transceivers.
• Design verification testing (DVT) of coherent transceivers to ensure optical specifications are met over operating conditions (temperature, power levels, etc.).
• Development of calibration and test procedures to ensure consistent high transceiver performance over a wide range of operating conditions (temperature, production variation, ageing, power levels, etc.).
• Work with the operations team to bring these calibration procedures and production tests into high volume manufacturing in a fast, reliable and cost-effective way.
• Work with the operations team to maximize the product yield through good calibration and production test procedures.
• Debug of transceivers, both during bring-up and volume manufacturing.

Skills

Coherent optical communications

DSP optimization

Test automation (Python)

RF electronics

ADC/DAC

Education

Bachelor's Degree with 12+ years of experience

Master's degree with 8 years of experience

PhD with 5 years of related experience

Job description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/15/2026

Preferred candidates must be able to be onsite in Maynard, MA a minimum of three days per week.

Meet the Team

Join our team at Acacia, where we develop advanced optical transceivers for high-speed fiber optic transmission in data centers and telecommunication networks. We're seeking enthusiastic, experienced individuals to work on the forefront of fiber optic technology. You'll be part of the team developing high performance optical transceivers with low power consumption. Collaboration with colleagues from the DSP, SW, HW, PIC teams is key to optimizing performance and power efficiency. You'll contribute to producing high volume, high yield products.

Your Impact

With your expertise in optical transceivers, control algorithms and verification, you help the team to develop the next generation of low-power and high-performance transceivers. Here are some examples of possible topics:

• Bring-up and optimization of each new coherent transceiver design, including optimization of operating conditions of optical and electrical components
• Provide guidance and test results for the development of the integrated optics, high speed electronics, and DSP to maximize performance and minimize size and power consumption of Cisco's coherent optical transceivers
• Design verification testing (DVT) of coherent transceivers to ensure optical specifications are met over operating conditions (temperature, power levels, etc.)
• Development of calibration and test procedures to ensure consistent high transceiver performance over a wide range of operating conditions (temperature, production variation, ageing, power levels, etc.)
• Work with the operations team to bring these calibration procedures and production tests into high volume manufacturing in a fast, reliable and cost-effective way
• Work with the operations team to maximize the product yield through good calibration and production test procedures
• Debug of transceivers, both during bring-up and volume manufacturing

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree with 12+ years of experience or Master's degree with 8 years of experience, or PhD with 5 years of related experience
• Demonstrated experience with coherent optical communications and DSP optimization
• Demonstrated experience with photonics integrated circuits and their controls for coherent optical transmission

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with test automation, ideally with Python
• Hands-on experience with high-speed RF electronics and ADC/DAC

Why Cisco?

At Cisco, we're revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era - and beyond. We've been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you'll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you.

Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $179,000.00 to $254,300.00 and reflects the projected salary range for new hires in this position in U.S. and/or Canada locations, not including incentive compensation*, equity, or benefits.

Individual pay is determined by the candidate's hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training. The full salary range for certain locations is listed below. For locations not listed below, the recruiter can share more details about compensation for the role in your location during the hiring process.

U.S. employees are offered benefits, subject to Cisco's plan eligibility rules, which include medical, dental and vision insurance, a 401(k) plan with a Cisco matching contribution, paid parental leave, short and long-term disability coverage, and basic life insurance. Please see the Cisco careers site to discover more benefits and perks. Employees may be eligible to receive grants of Cisco restricted stock units, which vest following continued employment with Cisco for defined periods of time.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time away as described below, subject to Cisco's policies:

• 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
• 1 paid day off for employee's birthday, paid year-end holiday shutdown, and 4 paid days off for personal wellness determined by Cisco
• Non-exempt employees** receive 16 days of paid vacation time per full calendar year, accrued at rate of 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time employees
• Exempt employees participate in Cisco's flexible vacation time off program, which has no defined limit on how much vacation time eligible employees may use (subject to availability and some business limitations)
• 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, and up to 80 hours ofunused sick timecarried forwardfrom one calendar yearto the next
• Additional paid time away may be requested to deal with critical or emergency issues for family members
• Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer

For non-sales roles, employees are also eligible to earn annual bonuses subject to Cisco's policies.

Employees on sales plans earn performance-based incentive pay on top of their base salary, which is split between quota and non-quota components, subject to the applicable Cisco plan. For quota-based incentive pay, Cisco typically pays as follows:

• .75% of incentive target for each 1% of revenue attainment up to 50% of quota;
• 1.5% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 50% and 75%;
• 1% of incentive target for each 1% of attainment between 75% and 100%; and
• Once performance exceeds 100% attainment, incentive rates are at or above 1% for each 1% of attainment with no cap on incentive compensation.

For non-quota-based sales performance elements such as strategic sales objectives, Cisco may pay 0% up to 125% of target. Cisco sales plans do not have a minimum threshold of performance for sales incentive compensation to be paid.

The applicable full salary ranges for this position, by specific state, are listed below:

New York City Metro Area:

$194,600.00 - $328,600.00

Non-Metro New York state & Washington state:

$179,000.00 - $294,000.00

* For quota-based sales roles on Cisco's sales plan, the ranges provided in this posting include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined.

** Employees in Illinois, whether exempt or non-exempt, will participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements.