Senior Systems Engineer Co-Packaged Optics

Corning Incorporated; California (MO); On-site; USD 112,902 - 155,240; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company bonuses

Pension plan

Health benefits

Paid time off

Job summary

Corning Incorporated is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to work with customers and ecosystem partners to translate product challenges into system‑level solutions for our Co‑Packaged Optics (CPO) products. You will bridge Corning R&D, program management, and the business team to shape AI infrastructure in hyperscale data centers.

This highly visible role requires deep systems expertise, strong communication, and ability to guide architecture discussions from design‑in to production across time

Qualifications

• Master's or Doctorate Degree in Engineering, Applied Science, or equivalent fields.
• 7+ years of experience in an applications, systems, or product development function, with meaningful time in a customer‑facing technical role (Systems Engineer, Applications Engineer, Scientist, or Solutions Architect)
• Deep understanding of optics, glass as a material, optical fiber and communications, Silicon Photonics, semiconductor packaging, semiconductor metrology, electronic hardware design and manufacturing
• Ease with frequent customer engagements at a technical level, with the ability to comprehend technical needs and convey effective value propositions
• Ability to collaborate across functional and geographical boundaries to solve problems and develop solutions
• Conceptualize complex specification and application requirements and articulate to internal/external stakeholders to initiate new product development or implement product changes
• Mobilize and influence people within and outside the organization to meet objectives
• Garner trust and lead collaborative work efforts, both internally and externally, across multiple time zones

Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary technical point of contact for strategic customers and ecosystem partners throughout the CPO product lifecycle – from early architecture discussions through design‑in, qualification, and deployment
• Lead product and system ideation with our customers and partners, with the goal of addressing identified needs through differentiated product offerings
• Translate customer requirements into internal product specifications, ensuring alignment between external needs and Corning's R&D and product development capabilities
• Conduct feasibility studies and develop initial design concepts to be transferred to R&D
• Establish ongoing and trusting relationships with technical counterparts amongst our primary customers and partners within the CPO ecosystem
• Develop a deep understanding of customer applications, the systems in which they operate, and how Corning products function in these applications
• Lead technical deep‑dive sessions, architecture workshops, and design reviews with customer engineering teams, including hyperscaler network architects and ASIC/platform engineers
• Perform system level thermo‑mechanical simulations to provide design recommendations
• Deliver compelling technical presentations, demos, and proof‑of‑concept (PoC) engagements
• Participate in mapping out market trends and technology roadmaps, identifying key gaps and recommendations in terms of both technology capabilities and new products
• In close collaboration with PLM and Marketing, help refine Corning's value proposition in the context of a deep understanding of the applications and use cases of our CPO solutions
• Collaborate with ASIC partners, packaging houses, laser vendors, and connector suppliers as well as hardware providers to build understanding of next generation requirements
• Act as the voice of the customer inside Corning, driving requirement clarity, feature prioritization, and responsiveness to field feedback
• Establish ongoing and trusting relationships with technical counterparts amongst our primary customers and partners within the CPO ecosystem

Skills

Systems engineering

Customer-facing

Optics

Photonic connectivity

Semiconductor packaging

Education

Master's degree in Engineering

Doctorate degree in Engineering

Job description

Internal Corning Employees are provided the opportunity to review global job openings for potential interest. However, they are encouraged to do so with the understanding that whether or not they will be considered a candidate for positions located outside their geographic area (city, country, region) will depend on a number of factors such as the availability of local subject matter expertise or qualified talent, the need to obtain and availability of work authorization, costs associated with internal transfer, etc. It will be the decision of the hiring organization whether to permit employees applying outside the local area where the opening exists to be considered a candidate for that opening. It is recommended employees wishing to apply for job openings at Corning make their supervisor aware of their interest before formally applying.

SCOPE/PURPOSE OF POSITION

The Senior Systems Engineer is responsible for working directly with our customers and ecosystem partners to understand their product challenges, create system‑level solutions, translate those solutions into product requirements, and drive design‑in of Corning's Co‑Packaged Optics (CPO) products. The role combines deep technical expertise in semiconductor manufacturing and photonic connectivity with a strong customer‑facing orientation, serving as the technical interface between Corning R&D, program management and the business team to shape the future of AI infrastructure in hyperscale data centers.

This is a highly visible role that combines deep systems expertise with strong communication skills to guide our customers from early architecture discussions through design‑in and qualification to serial production, bridging internal engineering teams and our customers to solve deployment challenges and influencing the CPO roadmap based on direct customer insight.

Roles And Responsibilities

• Serve as a primary technical point of contact for strategic customers and ecosystem partners throughout the CPO product lifecycle – from early architecture discussions through design‑in, qualification, and deployment
• Lead product and system ideation with our customers and partners, with the goal of addressing identified needs through differentiated product offerings
• Translate customer requirements into internal product specifications, ensuring alignment between external needs and Corning's R&D and product development capabilities
• Conduct feasibility studies and develop initial design concepts to be transferred to R&D
• Establish ongoing and trusting relationships with technical counterparts amongst our primary customers and partners within the CPO ecosystem
• Develop a deep understanding of customer applications, the systems in which they operate, and how Corning products function in these applications
• Lead technical deep‑dive sessions, architecture workshops, and design reviews with customer engineering teams, including hyperscaler network architects and ASIC/platform engineers
• Perform system level thermo‑mechanical simulations to provide design recommendations
• Deliver compelling technical presentations, demos, and proof‑of‑concept (PoC) engagements
• Participate in mapping out market trends and technology roadmaps, identifying key gaps and recommendations in terms of both technology capabilities and new products
• In close collaboration with PLM and Marketing, help refine Corning's value proposition in the context of a deep understanding of the applications and use cases of our CPO solutions
• Collaborate with ASIC partners, packaging houses, laser vendors, and connector suppliers as well as hardware providers to build understanding of next generation requirements
• Act as the voice of the customer inside Corning, driving requirement clarity, feature prioritization, and responsiveness to field feedback
• Establish ongoing and trusting relationships with technical counterparts amongst our primary customers and partners within the CPO ecosystem

Required Education

• Master's or Doctorate Degree in Engineering, Applied Science, or equivalent fields
• 7+ years of experience in an applications, systems, or product development function, with meaningful time in a customer‑facing technical role (Systems Engineer, Applications Engineer, Scientist, or Solutions Architect)
• Participation in complex projects and contribution to multi‑functional teams in a fast‑paced competitive environment
• Deep understanding of one or more of the following: optics, glass as a material, optical fiber and communications, Silicon Photonics, semiconductor packaging, semiconductor metrology, electronic hardware design and manufacturing
• Ease with frequent customer engagements at a technical level, with the ability to comprehend technical needs and convey effective value propositions
• Ability to collaborate across functional and geographical boundaries to solve problems and develop solutions
• Conceptualize complex specification and application requirements and articulate to internal/external stakeholders to initiate new product development or implement product changes
• Mobilize and influence people within and outside the organization to meet objectives
• Garner trust and lead collaborative work efforts, both internally and externally, across multiple time zones

Desired Experiences

• Work experience in PLM, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, and/or Product Development in a fast‑paced OEM context
• Systems‑level knowledge of CPO architectures, including photonic engines, external laser sources (ELS/ELSFP), fiber attach, ASIC integration and advanced packaging
• Direct experience deploying CPO, NPO, LPO, or advanced pluggable optics in production or pre‑production environments
• Familiarity with AI/ML fabric architectures (scale‑up / scale‑out), including GPU/XPU cluster designs and optical I/O requirements
• English + Mandarin (Japanese, or Korean) is a plus for global account coverage

This position does not support immigration sponsorship.

The range for this position is $112,902.00 - $155,240.00 assuming full time status. Starting pay for the successful applicant is dependent on a variety of job‑related factors, including but not limited to geographic location, market demands, experience, training, and education.

A job that shapes a life.

Corning offers you the total package.

Your well‑being is our priority. Our compensation and benefits package supports your health and wellness, financial aspirations, and career from day one.

• Company‑wide bonuses and long‑term incentives align with key business results and ensure you are rewarded when the company performs well.
• As part of our commitment to your financial well‑being, we provide a 100% company‑paid pension benefit with fixed contributions that grow throughout your career. Combined with matching contributions to your 401(k) savings plan, Corning’s total contributions to your retirement accounts can reach between 7% and 12% of your pay, depending on your age and years of service.
• Our health and well‑being benefits include medical, dental, vision, paid parental leave, family building support, fitness, company‑paid life insurance, disability, disease management programs, paid time off, and an Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to support you and your family.
• Getting paid for our work is important, but feeling appreciated and recognized for those contributions motivates us much more. That’s why Corning offers a recognition program to celebrate successes and reward colleagues who make exceptional contributions.

We prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, gender, age, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, veteran status or any other legally protected status.

Corning is committed to providing equal employment opportunities and considers requests for reasonable accommodations in accordance with applicable laws. Individuals with disabilities or sincerely held religious beliefs may request reasonable accommodations to participate in the application or interview process, perform essential job functions, or access other benefits and privileges of employment. To submit a request for reasonable accommodation related to disability or religion, please contact us at [e-mail].