Optical Engineer

About the role

The Optical Engineer will serve as a senior optical network engineer within ESnet’s Network Services group, applying expertise to design, deploy, and operate ESnet’s international DWDM optical transport infrastructure, integrated with ESnet’s IP/MPLS backbone and science services.

Responsibilities

• Design, deploy, and operate large-scale DWDM optical transport systems, including link engineering, loss budgets, OSNR analysis, amplifier planning, and ROADM architectures.
• Commission and maintain optical systems using industry best practices, including OTDR analysis, fiber characterization, and performance validation.
• Act as a technical authority for ESnet transport platforms, providing expert guidance on system behavior, limitations, and optimization.
• Integrate optical transport systems with ESnet’s IP/MPLS backbone and advanced network services.
• Provide escalation support for optical-related incidents and participate in an on-call rotation in support of 24×7 operations.
• Troubleshoot complex, end-to-end network issues spanning optical, IP, and application layers across multiple administrative domains.
• Lead transport-related projects from concept through deployment, including scope definition, scheduling, vendor coordination, and implementation.
• Develop optical designs, capacity plans, and cost estimates to support infrastructure planning and procurement.
• Evaluate new transport technologies, platforms, and features; contribute to ESnet’s optical technology roadmap.
• Maintain accurate technical documentation, designs, and operational procedures.
• Network with key contacts outside own area of expertise.
• Determine methods and procedures on new assignments and may coordinate activities of other personnel.
• Exercise judgment in selecting methods, techniques and evaluation criteria for obtaining results.
• Collaborate closely with internal stakeholders including routing, operations, science engagement, software engineering, and business operations teams.
• Coordinate with external partners such as vendors, carriers, and R&E peers to provision, modify, and optimize network services.
• Provide technical mentoring and guidance to less-experienced engineers and contribute to the development of operational processes and training materials.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field, and 8 years of relevant networking experience, with significant depth in optical transport systems. Or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Demonstrated experience designing, deploying, and operating DWDM optical networks in production environments.
• Strong understanding of WAN and LAN technologies and protocols, including IPv4/IPv6, BGP, IS-IS, MPLS, Segment Routing, and related services.
• Experience leading technical projects, including defining scope, schedules, and budgets, and delivering results on time.
• Hands-on experience with optical transport platforms from vendors such as Ciena and Nokia (Infinera).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with a collaborative, service-oriented mindset.
• Experience working in environments that use IT service management and project tracking tools (e.g., Jira, ServiceNow).
• Experience with, or interest in, Research and Education (R&E) networking and DOE Office of Science programs is highly desirable.
• Proficiency in optical system installation, configuration, testing, and troubleshooting in large-scale networks.
• Ability to conduct and interpret network diagnostic tests using optical and IP test equipment.
• Proven ability to write clear, accurate technical documentation, designs, and operational procedures.
• Familiarity with automation, orchestration, or software-assisted network operations is a plus.
• Proven ability to work independently on complex projects while contributing effectively within a team.
• Demonstrated commitment to documentation, operational excellence, and continuous learning.
• Willingness to travel occasionally for installations, upgrades, and strategic planning activities.