Product Line Manager, Coherent Optical Transceivers

Application window expected to close: 11/29/2026

About the team

Acacia (part of Cisco’s Transceiver Modules Group) is the global market leader and pioneer in high-speed coherent optical interconnects and PAM4 digital signal processor (DSP) technologies. Our innovative pluggable optical solutions power the world’s largest cloud hyperscalers, telecommunication service providers, and AI data center networks, bridging distances from high-density server clusters to subsea cables and satellite communications. We are a hardworking, highly collaborative team of innovators, system architects, and business leaders who thrive on solving complex physical-layer engineering challenges and turning breakthrough optical science into industry-standard commercial reality. Joining our team means shaping the foundational infrastructure of next-generation AI and cloud connectivity in a fast-paced, high-impact environment where your strategic vision directly influences multi-billion-dollar global markets.

Responsibilities

• Define, drive, and own the multi-year product strategy and execution roadmap for Acacia’s next-generation product.
• Orchestrate full lifecycle product management from initial market analysis, customer discovery, and Product Requirement Documents (PRDs) through Concept Commits, Execution Commits, new product introduction (NPI), and volume scaling.
• Serve as the trusted central technical and business authority, aligning teams across hardware engineering, silicon photonics design, DSP architecture, operations, manufacturing, and marketing to deliver industry-leading products on time and within target margin profiles.
• Engage directly with industry technical leaders and networking OEMs, crafting ambiguous customer requirements into concrete product specifications while positioning Acacia’s portfolio to capture emerging high-speed AI optical interconnect opportunities.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or related field with 12+ years’ experience, or Master’s degree with 8+ years’ professional experience.
• 8+ years in Technical Product Management, Product Marketing, and System Engineering within the optical communications, high-speed networking, or semiconductor transceiver industry.
• Management of full hardware/optical product lifecycles from concept definition through engineering commit benchmarks, launch, and manufacturing.
• Direct experience collaborating with Tier-1 cloud hyperscalers, telecommunications service providers, or networking equipment manufacturers to capture requirements and deliver complex optical or electronic subsystems.
• Demonstrated technical understanding of optical communications technologies, including coherent optical transceivers (e.g., 400ZR/800ZR/OpenZR+), pluggable form factors (QSFP-DD, OSFP), optical standards bodies (IEEE, OIF, MSAs) and optical transmission properties.

Preferred qualifications

• Background in optical transceiver hardware design, silicon photonics integration, DSP system engineering, and high-speed electro-optic characterization.
• Familiarity with AI/ML data center network architectures and emerging low-power optical interconnect paradigms (e.g., 800G/1.6T client optics, LPO/LRO, CPO).
• Familiarity with industry standards and multi-source agreements (OIF, IEEE 802.3, CMIS, QSFP-DD/OSFP MSAs).
• Proven leadership and presentation skills, with ability to influence engineering architects, operations, and C-level customer executives without formal authority.

Benefits

At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution
• Paid parental leave
• Short and long-term disability coverage
• Basic life insurance
• Eligibility for grants of Cisco restricted stock units (vesting over defined periods)
• Paid time away:
  • 10 paid holidays per full calendar year, plus 1 floating holiday for non-exempt employees
  • 1 paid day off for employee’s birthday
  • Paid year-end holiday shutdown
  • 4 paid days off for personal wellness (determined by Cisco)
  • Non-exempt employees: 16 days of paid vacation per full calendar year (accrued at 4.92 hours per pay period for full-time)
  • Exempt employees: flexible vacation time off program (no defined limit, subject to availability and business limitations)
  • 80 hours of sick time off provided on hire date and each January 1st thereafter, with up to 80 hours of unused sick time carried forward
  • Additional paid time away for critical or emergency family issues
  • Optional 10 paid days per full calendar year to volunteer
• Annual bonuses for non-sales roles (subject to Cisco policies)
• Sales incentive plans for quota-based roles (detailed tiered structure with no cap on incentive compensation above 100% attainment)
• Employees in Illinois participate in a unique time off program to meet local requirements

Pay

The starting salary range for this position in the U.S. and/or Canada is $194,600.00 to $285,700.00, not including incentive compensation, equity, or benefits. Individual pay is determined by hiring location, market conditions, job-related skillset, experience, qualifications, education, certifications, and/or training.

• New York City Metro Area: $194,600.00 – $328,600.00
• Non-Metro New York State & Washington State: $179,000.00 – $294,000.00

For quota-based sales roles on Cisco’s sales plan, the ranges provided include base pay and sales target incentive compensation combined. For locations not listed above, the recruiter can share more details about compensation during the hiring process.