Senior Optical Hardware Test Engineer – 112G/224G PAM4 & CPO

Cisco; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 168,000 - 245,000; Full time

Job summary

Cisco Systems is seeking an Optical Hardware Systems Test Engineer to validate and ensure the quality of next-generation networking platforms, including switches, routers, and data center systems.

You will lead hands-on bring-up, validation, and characterization of Silicon One ASICs with high-speed optical transceivers, analyze eye quality, BER, and link margins, and develop automated tests to control lab equipment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical engineering, Photonics, Computer Engineering, or related technical field.
• Hands-on experience in lab bring-up, system-level validation, and hardware testing of high-speed networking systems or electro-optic hardware.
• Strong understanding of optical transceivers, optical link budgets, high-speed SerDes (56G/112G+ PAM4), and bit error rate testing.
• Experience using standard lab instrumentation (VNAs, TDR, sampling scopes, BERTs, optical power meters, spectrum analyzers).

Responsibilities

• Lead hands-on bring-up, validation, and characterization of Silicon One ASICs integrated with high-speed optical transceivers and emerging Co-Packaged / Near-Packaged Optics (CPO/NPO) engines.
• Measure and characterize high-speed electro-optic channels across 112G/224G PAM4 SerDes and optical links, evaluating eye quality, BER, and link margins.
• Develop and maintain Python, C/C++ or similar language test automation scripts and programs to control high-speed lab equipment and automate test workflows.
• Perform system stress testing across temperature, voltage, and traffic corners to ensure link stability and operating margins under full system loads.
• Debug and root-cause sophisticated hardware, signal integrity, and optical link issues during prototype bring-up and system validation.
• Partner multi-functionally with ASIC architecture, signal integrity, board design, software/diagnostics, and manufacturing teams from early silicon bring-up through production release.

Skills

High-speed SerDes

Optical transceivers

Lab instrumentation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical engineering or related field

Tools

VNAs

TDR

Oscilloscopes

BERTs

Optical power meters

Spectrum analyzers

Job description

Cisco Systems is seeking an Optical Hardware Systems Test Engineer to validate and ensure the quality of next-generation networking platforms, including switches, routers, and data center systems.

You will lead hands-on bring-up, validation, and characterization of Silicon One ASICs with high-speed optical transceivers, analyze eye quality, BER, and link margins, and develop automated tests to control lab equipment.