Senior Optics & Interconnects Product Engineer

Acceler8 Talent; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Acceler8 Talent is partnering with a well-funded AI networking hardware startup in the SF Bay Area to redefine infrastructure for hyperscalers. We’re seeking a Hardware Product Engineer – Optics & Cables to own qualification, reliability, manufacturing readiness, and long‑term strategy for high‑speed interconnect technologies powering next‑generation AI platforms.

The role demands hands‑on experience with 400G+ optics, fiber assemblies, and cables, plus strong skills in qualification plans,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical, Optical, Physics, or related technical discipline.
• 8+ years of experience in optical product engineering, optical NPI, manufacturing engineering, reliability engineering, or related fields.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed networking optics and cable technologies, including 400G+ optical transceivers and interconnect systems.
• Strong understanding of optical component manufacturing processes, qualification methodologies, and reliability testing.
• Experience developing qualification plans, reliability test strategies, and failure analysis methodologies for optics or cable products.
• Knowledge of optical connector technologies, transceiver architectures, and common optical failure mechanisms.
• Experience working with suppliers and contract manufacturers to improve product quality and manufacturing readiness.

Responsibilities

• Lead qualification, reliability, and manufacturing readiness activities for high-speed optical transceivers, fiber optic assemblies, and cable solutions.
• Develop and execute validation plans to ensure long-term optical performance and field reliability.
• Define inspection, cleaning, assembly, and handling processes for optical components across internal and contract manufacturing environments.
• Partner with hardware, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams to establish best practices for optics integration and deployment.
• Evaluate and qualify new optics and cable suppliers, providing technical guidance on supplier selection and manufacturing capabilities.
• Investigate failure modes, develop reliability test plans, and implement corrective actions to improve product robustness.
• Influence future interconnect technology roadmaps through evaluation of emerging optical and cable technologies.

Skills

Optics engineering

Reliability testing

Manufacturing readiness

Supplier collaboration

Failure analysis

Education

Electrical/Optical Engineering degree

Masters preferred

Job description

Acceler8 Talent is partnering with a well-funded AI networking hardware startup in the SF Bay Area to redefine infrastructure for hyperscalers. We’re seeking a Hardware Product Engineer – Optics & Cables to own qualification, reliability, manufacturing readiness, and long‑term strategy for high‑speed interconnect technologies powering next‑generation AI platforms.

The role demands hands‑on experience with 400G+ optics, fiber assemblies, and cables, plus strong skills in qualification plans,