Reliability Engineering Manager

Avicena Tech; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Avicena Tech in Sunnyvale, California seeks a Reliability Engineer to lead the qualification of optical engines used in transceiver products. You will build and execute a comprehensive reliability plan spanning optics and ASIC domains, driving product release with rigorous testing and data-driven decisions.

You will collaborate cross-functionally with design, packaging, and manufacturing teams, apply industry standards, perform failure analysis, and translate findings into design improvements

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in EE/Optical Eng or related field.
• 5+ years in reliability engineering across optical components and ICs.
• Experience building qualification plans for optoelectronic/semiconductor products.
• Familiarity with Telcordia GR-468-CORE, JEDEC, MIL-STD-883, AEC-Q100.
• Strong data analysis and failure analysis capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Own the qualification plan end-to-end for optical engines.
• Define stress test matrices and sample sizes.
• Bridge optics and IC domains to assess reliability risks.
• Coordinate with test labs and manage sample builds.
• Lead root cause analysis and implement corrective actions.
• Analyze data and prepare qualification reports.
• Feed lessons learned into design and process guidelines.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams through product lifecycle.

Skills

Reliability engineering

Weibull analysis

Arrhenius modeling

Failure analysis

Cross-functional collaboration

Test planning

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in EE/Optical Eng

Tools

SEM

EDX

Curve tracing

Decapsulation

Job description

Job Title

Reliability Engineer / Reliability Engineering Manager

Job Description

We are seeking a Reliability Engineer to lead the qualification of optical engines used in our transceiver products. This role sits at the intersection of optics and semiconductor reliability, requiring someone who can build a qualification plan from the ground up, execute it rigorously, and drive it through to product release. You will own the reliability strategy for a critical subsystem - the optical engine - that combines optical components (lasers, photodetectors) with ASIC which includes driver and receiver circuits into a single functional block.

Responsibilities

• Own the qualification plan end-to-end: Design, document, and execute a comprehensive reliability qualification plan for optical engines designed for transceiver end products, aligned with industry standards (e.g., Telcordia GR-468, JEDEC JESD47/JESD22) and customer-specific requirements.


• Define test matrices: Determine appropriate stress tests (temperature cycling, high-temperature operating life (HTOL), damp heat, mechanical shock/vibration, ESD, moisture sensitivity, etc.) and sample sizes based on failure mode analysis and statistical confidence targets.


• Bridge optics and IC domains: Evaluate reliability risks across the full optical engine - from laser/LED/PD degradation mechanisms to driver IC, TIA, and CDR reliability - and identify interaction effects between optical and electrical subsystems.


• Drive execution: Coordinate with test labs (internal or external), manage sample builds, track test progress, and ensure qualification milestones are met on schedule.


• Failure analysis: Lead root cause investigation for reliability failures, working cross-functionally with design, process, and FA teams to implement corrective actions.


• Data analysis & reporting: Analyze reliability data (Weibull, Arrhenius modeling, activation energy extraction) to project field lifetime and failure rates (FIT rates); prepare qualification reports for internal stakeholders and customers.


• Continuous improvement: Feed lessons learned from qualification and field returns back into design and process guidelines to improve future optical engine reliability.


• Cross-functional collaboration: Work closely with optical design, ASIC/IC design, packaging, manufacturing, and product/program management teams throughout the product lifecycle.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or master’s degree in electrical engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, or related fields.


• 5+ years of experience in reliability engineering, with demonstrated experience across both optical components and integrated circuits.


• Hands-on experience building and executing qualification plans for optoelectronic or semiconductor products (transceivers, optical modules, or similar).


• Working knowledge of industry reliability standards (Telcordia GR-468-CORE, JEDEC, MIL-STD-883, AEC-Q100, or similar).


• Experience with reliability statistics: Weibull analysis, Arrhenius/activation energy modeling, accelerated life testing, FIT rate calculation.


• Strong failure analysis skills (or close collaboration experience with FA teams) — familiarity with tools/techniques such as decapsulation, SEM, EDX, curve tracing, etc.


• Excellent cross-functional communication skills; ability to translate technical risk into clear qualification decisions for engineering and customer audiences.

Additional Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with laser diode, LED, and photodetector reliability - degradation mechanisms (e.g., dark line defects, facet degradation, catastrophic optical damage, dark current drift).


• Experience qualifying transceiver modules (e.g., SFP, QSFP, OSFP form factors) or optical engines/TOSA-ROSA assemblies.


• Familiarity with driver IC, TIA, and CDR reliability considerations in a co-packaged or closely integrated optical-electrical system.


• Experience working with customers on qualification sign-off, including generating and defending qualification reports.


• Six Sigma, CRE (Certified Reliability Engineer), or equivalent certification.