Senior Engineer, Long Haul Wave (Backbone Optical Transport)

Position Summary The Senior Engineer, Long Haul Wave is an experienced optical transport professional responsible for delivering backbone wavelength services from initial design through customer turn-up. This role owns the complete lifecycle of a wave, including feasibility analysis, end-to-end path design, provisioning across multiple optical platforms, validation, testing, and final customer acceptance. This is a single-owner delivery model. Instead of handing work between separate design, provisioning, and testing teams, the engineer is responsible for the entire circuit across every network segment, including metro ingress, the national backbone, and metro egress. The engineer remains accountable until the service has been successfully validated and accepted. Key Responsibilities Wave and Circuit Design Perform end-to-end feasibility studies and path design for backbone wavelength services, including route selection, regeneration requirements, optical amplification, and reach validation.Engineer optical spectrum across the complete path, including wavelength assignment, fixed-grid and flex-grid alignment, and spectrum utilization to maximize backbone efficiency while preserving future capacity.Select the appropriate transponder, muxponder, and line-side hardware based on service rate, reach, and platform requirements.Validate optical performance against engineering standards before implementation and identify any constraints requiring hardware additions or path modifications.Document the complete service design, including intermediate sites, equipment, ports, and circuit routing. Multi-Platform Service Provisioning Provision end-to-end wavelength services across a multi-vendor optical network consisting of Nokia and Ciena transport platforms.Configure and turn up services on Nokia optical transport platforms, including the 1830 PSS, PSD, PSI-M family, and related shelf types.Configure and turn up services on Ciena 6500, Waveserver, and RLS platforms, including transponders, CCMD/CMD components, and line-system elements.Manage service transitions between vendor platforms and ensure optical and framing parameters remain consistent across vendor boundaries.Execute provisioning through element and network management systems while maintaining accurate service records, circuit labeling, and implementation documentation. End-to-End Troubleshooting and Customer Turn-Up Perform complete validation of wavelength services before customer handoff, including optical power verification, performance testing, error-free burn-in, and confirmation that service objectives have been achieved across the entire path.Troubleshoot complex issues across multi-vendor optical networks and determine whether faults originate within metro networks, the national backbone, or at vendor boundaries.Diagnose optical impairments including power issues, OSNR, dispersion, span loss, framing errors, timing issues, and service-layer alarms.Coordinate with field operations, network operations, and vendor technical support to resolve issues requiring field dispatch or vendor escalation.Deliver validated, production-ready wavelength services and provide post-installation support for services returning after customer handoff. Operational Execution and Handoff Perform end-to-end service acceptance testing, document validation results, and verify that all customer acceptance criteria have been satisfied before placing services into production.Maintain accurate engineering records, service documentation, turn-up results, circuit labeling, and as-built documentation throughout the delivery lifecycle.Execute work in accordance with approved operational procedures and engineering practices to minimize customer impact while maintaining backbone stability. Continuous Improvement Identify opportunities to automate repetitive design, provisioning, validation, and documentation tasks to improve delivery efficiency and reduce manual effort.Contribute to implementation procedures, methods of procedure (MOPs), and operational documentation that support backbone wavelength delivery. Required Qualifications 10+ years of hands-on experience engineering, provisioning, or supporting DWDM and optical transport networks in a carrier or large-scale service provider environment.Strong understanding of optical transport technologies, including DWDM, ROADM architectures, wavelength planning, optical amplification, regeneration, OSNR, dispersion, and optical power budgets.Hands-on experience provisioning and troubleshooting services on optical transport equipment from at least one major vendor, with the ability to work across multiple vendor platforms.Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot end-to-end circuits across multiple network segments while isolating faults within complex multi-vendor environments.Strong documentation skills and the ability to work directly with customers, operations teams, field personnel, and vendor support organizations throughout the service delivery process. Preferred Qualifications Direct experience with Nokia 1830 PSS, PSD, PSI-M, and related optical transport platforms.Direct experience with Ciena 6500, Waveserver, and RLS optical platforms.Experience supporting long haul or backbone optical transport networks.Familiarity with optical network management and orchestration systems.Experience performing optical service turn-up, customer acceptance testing, and production implementations. What Makes This Role Senior This position requires complete ownership of a wavelength service from initial design through customer acceptance. The engineer is expected to work independently across multiple vendors, network domains, and technologies while making sound engineering decisions throughout the implementation process. Success in this role is measured by consistently delivering validated, production-ready wavelength services that meet customer requirements while maintaining the reliability and operational integrity of the national optical backbone.