Senior Test Engineer

VIAVI Solutions Inc.; Wichita (KS); Hybrid; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

VIAVI Solutions Inc. in Indianapolis, IN is seeking a Senior Test Engineer to join a new NPI team focused on automating manufacturing tests for fiber instruments, including OTDR modules and optical power meters.

The role emphasizes hands-on hardware/software test development, with collaboration across R&D in Indianapolis and VIAVI's France design center. Strong programming and bench instrumentation skills are required.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in automated test engineering for manufacturing.
• Proficient in controlling optical test instrumentation via code (GPIB/USB/LAN/SCPI).
• Experience with Python, C++, or C# for instrument control and data parsing.

Responsibilities

• Architect production test systems with automated racks for NPI and legacy fiber instruments.
• Develop robust test sequences and drivers for optical instruments.
• Implement Gauge R&R and measurement uncertainty analyses.

Skills

Automation testing

Python

C++

C#

GPIB/SCPI

Gauge R&R

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering

Tools

NI TestStand

LabVIEW

Test equipment control

Job description

Senior Test Engineer VIAVI Solutions — Fiber Instruments NPI | Indianapolis, IN

Join the founding members of a new Operations Engineering NPI team in Indianapolis, chartered with bringing VIAVI's next generation of fiber optic test instruments — OTDR modules, handheld fiber testers, optical power meters and sources, and automated fiber certification systems — from R&D into volume manufacturing. This is a hands‑on NPI and manufacturing test engineering role focused on optical instrument automation, rack‑and‑stack system design, and code development, working in close partnership with R&D in Indianapolis and VIAVI's prime fiber optic design center in St. Etienne, France.

Note to Applicants: This is a factory automation and manufacturing test engineering role. It is NOT a field service, customer‑facing applications engineering, or product management position.

Professional Growth and Tooling

We're building this team from the ground up and investing in the right engineer to help shape it:

Averna Launch Certification: We provide full training on our standard test executive wrapper.

Unlimited NI Training: Access to National Instruments modules to elevate your TestStand skills to Architect level.

Advanced Photonics Lab Access: Direct access to tunable laser sources, high‑precision OTDR reference modules, and optical spectrum analysis instrumentation.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Architect Production Test Systems: Design, build, and deploy automated test racks for New Product Introduction (NPI) and legacy fiber instrument manufacturing (OTDR modules, handheld testers, optical power meters and sources).
• Instrument Control: Write robust drivers and test sequences in Python, C++, or NI TestStand to control optical power meters, tunable laser sources, optical switches, variable optical attenuators (VOAs), and reference‑grade OTDR modules.
• Complex Optical Analysis: Develop algorithms to measure optical parameters (insertion loss, return loss, dynamic range, dead zone, pulse width, wavelength accuracy, linearity) for fiber optic test instruments.
• Statistical Quality Control: Implement Gauge R&R, Cpk, and Measurement Uncertainty analysis.
• Design for Test (DfT): Partner with R&D in Indianapolis and the prime fiber optic design center in St. Etienne, France to ensure new products are designed for automated test access.
• Project Planning: Drive detailed planning to ensure all test solutions are developed, documented, debugged, deployed, and validated prior to production pilot run.
• Fixture Development: Partner with R&D and the Senior Manufacturing Engineer to develop contract manufacturing‑ready test systems, fixtures, and optical launch/connectorization jigs.
• Process Optimization: Optimize calibration and test processes for coverage, cycle time, and test stand capacity.
• System Deployment: Install and validate production systems at the Indianapolis facility and contract manufacturing sites.
• Lifecycle Maintenance: Maintain and update existing production test processes throughout the product lifecycle.
• Documentation: Produce written documentation including test specifications, procedures, installation instructions, interconnect diagrams, and preventive maintenance guides.
• Cross‑Functional Communication: Communicate effectively with stakeholders including R&D (Indianapolis and St. Etienne), Product Line Management (PLM), Program Management, Manufacturing Engineering, and contract manufacturing partners — including comfortable collaboration across time zones with the France design team.
• Team Leadership: As a founding member of a new team, help establish team norms and practices in addition to individual technical delivery; actively engage with the team and management by reporting status against commitments and demonstrating self‑directed initiative and leadership.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Optics, or a related technical field.
• Experience and Technical Skills: 5+ Years in Automated Test Engineering: Experience developing hardware/software test solutions for manufacturing.
• Bench Instrumentation Proficiency: Expert ability to remotely control optical test instrumentation (optical power meters, tunable laser sources, optical spectrum analyzers, optical switches, reference‑grade OTDR modules) via code (GPIB, USB, LAN, SCPI).
• Coding Proficiency: Strong skills in Python, C++, or C# for instrument control and data parsing.
• Fiber Optic Fundamentals: Deep understanding of fiber optic principles — insertion loss, return loss, OTDR trace interpretation (events, reflections, dead zones), single‑mode vs. multimode behavior, and connector types and end‑face geometry.
• Statistical Analysis: Experience applying Measurement Uncertainty and Process Capability (Cpk).
• Demonstrated leadership and self‑motivation; effective cross‑functional collaborator who can fully represent test engineering on a distributed, multi‑site product development team.

Preferred Qualifications

• NI TestStand Development: Experience creating custom steps or process models.
• Averna Launch Experience: Familiarity with the Averna test executive wrapper (training provided).
• Fiber Connector Inspection & Cleaning: Familiarity with industry standard pass/fail criteria and related inspection practices.
• Laser Safety: Familiarity with Class 1M/3B laser safety practices in a manufacturing environment.
• WDM Test Exposure: Background with CWDM/DWDM fiber test or multiplexed optical systems.
• SQL database programming for test record storage, retrieval, and data management.
• Use of AI tools for test code development, optimization, or data analysis.
• Experience collaborating with an international R&D team across time zones.

How Success Is Measured

• Test coverage, capability, and cycle time meet or exceed targets established during NPI.
• All production test systems delivered on schedule for pilot run and volume production launch.
• Gauge R&R and Measurement Uncertainty analyses confirm compliant, stable test systems at production deployment.
• Minimal test escapes reaching the field.
• Test systems require no manual touch labor beyond product connect/disconnect operations.

VIAVI Solutions is an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer — minorities/females/veterans/persons with disabilities.

Pre‑Requisites / Skills / Experience Requirements

VIAVI empowers Service Providers and IT organizations to manage the network lifecycle for complex 5G and Fiber networks with intuitive instruments, systems and technologies; and our expertise in light management and optical coatings help protect the world's bank notes from counterfeiters, enhance the colors you see, and enable advanced technology such as 3D sensing.

We are a team of thought leaders who have the freedom to support and innovate and look for new effective and efficient solutions for our customers.