Senior Designer

About the role

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena builds the critical infrastructure powering the AI era. We’re a technology company shaping the future of networking, guided by innovation, integrity, and collaboration. Through development opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility, Ciena supports growth and well‑being—on and off the job. Connect with a career that matters. Senior Designer focused on high-speed optical modulators for next‑generation coherent systems. The primary need is deep technical ownership of modulator design—RF/optical co‑design, modeling, layout, characterization, and design closure—while also allowing contribution to adjacent on‑chip functions as project needs evolve.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the technical authority for heterogeneously integrated optical modulator PICs targeting current and future coherent products
• Design or guide related PIC functions such as passive routing, couplers, splitters/combiners, polarization elements, monitors, crossings, and other non‑modulation blocks
• Use measurement data to refine RF, optical, and electro‑optic models and close the loop between simulation, layout, fabrication, and performance
• Act as the senior technical “guru” for modulator and PIC design choices, trade‑offs, reviews, and design direction
• Collaborate across teams to ensure modulator designs account for system‑level constraints, reliability, multi‑chip integration requirements, packaging, and thermal considerations
• Over time, shift to non‑modulator PIC projects where deep device‑design expertise is needed

Requirements

• Ph.D. in electrical engineering, engineering physics, applied physics, photonics, or related field
• Five or more years of relevant industry experience in high‑speed electro‑optic modulators, thin‑film lithium niobate, silicon photonics, heterogeneous integration, or related PIC technologies

Skills

• Expertise in electro‑optic modulator physics, RF/optical co‑design, traveling‑wave electrodes, velocity/impedance matching, bandwidth optimization, and high‑speed measurement
• Strong capability with EM/circuit simulation tools such as HFSS and/or ADS
• Strong capability with optical modeling methods such as FDTD, EME, eigenmode solvers
• Ability to build and calibrate compact models from simulation and measurement data
• Working knowledge of PIC materials, foundry processes, PDKs, layout rules, process monitors, and design‑for‑test/manufacturing
• Ability to move between detailed design, technical review, prototyping, characterization, and product‑facing design closure
• Comfortable providing project leadership and reporting when needed, without losing focus on hands‑on technical contribution

Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching
• Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP)
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Company‑paid holidays
• Paid sick leave
• Vacation time
• Compliance with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence

Pay

The annual salary range for this position is $133,100 - $212,500. Non‑Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission.