Full-Time

Wavelogic Software Developer – New Grad

Posted on 4/15/2025

Ciena

Ciena

10,001+ employees

Delivers adaptive optical networking services

Compensation Overview

$68.5k - $109.5k/yr

+ Discretionary Bonus

Company Does Not Provide H1B Sponsorship

Atlanta, GA, USA

In Person

Category
Software Engineering (1)
Required Skills
C/C++
Linux/Unix
Requirements
  • Bachelor’s degree in Electrical/Computer Engineering
  • C, C++ programming language experience
  • Good knowledge of embedded systems, device drivers, Linux Operating System knowledge, mutual exclusion, synchronization, interrupt handling, inter-process communication, etc.;
  • Positive work attitude, highly motivated and an ability to seek out answers with a willingness to learn and work independently.
  • Strong verbal and technical writing skills;
  • Collaborates well in a team environment
Responsibilities
  • Develop understanding and expertise in next-gen network solutions using optical transport and switching technologies like OTN, Ethernet etc.
  • Develop embedded software skills to design, develop, validate and document advanced networking features and capabilities which are deployed in service provider networks.
  • Trouble shoot and fix reported issues with embedded software, Identify root cause, diagnose, debug and deliver robust timely fixes.
  • Collaborate with multi-functional teams to design, develop and test the next-gen modem technologies.
Desired Qualifications
  • Familiarity with datacom & telecom concepts such as DWDM, SONET/SDH, OTN, Ethernet, TCP/IP
  • Low-level Real-Time Software/Firmware Development
  • Ability to understand CPU Hardware architectures, Hardware Functional Specifications and Hardware Timing Diagrams
  • Linux, VxWorks
  • Linux as a software development environment
  • Exposure to CLI, TL1, SNMP, NETCONF, REST, gRPC.
  • Design and development tools such as: Git, Eclipse, JIRA, Confluence, GDB, Yocto
  • YANG modeling language and toolchains
  • Scripting experience, Python, Go, BASH
  • Automation and Test

Ciena designs and sells optical and routing hardware, automation software, and professional services to build adaptive networks for telecom providers, cable operators, governments, and enterprises. Its systems combine physical networking gear with software that automates traffic routing and resource management so networks can adjust in real time to changing demand. It differentiates itself by offering an end-to-end solution—hardware, software, and services—plus a large global customer base and close collaboration with customers and partners. Its goal is to enable richer, more connected experiences by helping customers deploy flexible, scalable networks that meet evolving digital needs.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

Linthicum, Maryland

Founded

1992

Your Connections

People at Ciena who can refer or advise you

Simplify Jobs

Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • Backlog of $7.7B provides strong revenue visibility amid AI-driven bandwidth demand.
  • Free cash flow of $833M nearly doubles profit, showing strong cash conversion.
  • Revenue grew 39.5% YoY to $1.57B, with direct cloud revenue up 70%.

What critics are saying

  • Nokia-Infinera consolidation may displace Ciena's WaveLogic 6 in 1.6T clusters by Q4 2026.
  • Supply chain shortages could cause 15% revenue shortfall in FY2026 due to unconverted backlog.
  • AI networking startups may eliminate Ciena's data center interconnect market by 2028 with 10x cheaper solutions.

What makes Ciena unique

  • Ciena leads with 1.6Tb/s quantum-safe encryption protecting transatlantic data at 800GbE.
  • Ciena's Waveserver 5 enables programmable wire-speed optical encryption up to 800Gbps.
  • Ciena holds FIPS 140-3 Level 2 and Common Criteria certifications for quantum-safe Layer 1.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k) Company Match

Employee Assistance Program (EAP)

Company Paid Holidays

Paid Sick Leave

Vacation Time

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
Carma, Inc.
Jun 8th, 2026
How Carma's unified data model makes Network-as-a-Service a reality.

How Carma's unified data model makes Network-as-a-Service a reality. By Frank McDermott, CEO Truly automated Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) has historically been just a pipe dream. The reason traces back to a legacy model of fixed circuits, disconnected systems, and manual processes that simply cannot adapt dynamically to demand. But that model is changing. Cirion Technologies just launched a groundbreaking Network-as-a-Service (NaaS) offering, and Carma is incredibly proud to be the orchestration platform making it possible. The reality of legacy connectivity. Most networks weren't built for the modern cloud era. Think about what it traditionally takes to allocate optical resources: * Checking inventory and validating service feasibility manually * Provisioning services through disconnected, static systems * Relying on traditional engineering projects rather than automated platforms None of these steps were designed for real-time responsiveness. As a result, order-to-provisioning delivery times routinely stretch into days or weeks. Bridging the gap with api-driven orchestration. Unifying complex, fragmented systems into a single intelligent data model is exactly what sets Carma apart. Cirion's NaaS vision is for a complete, unbroken workflow that spans the full customer journey without manual handoffs, all made possible with Carma: * A customer logs into the self-service Portal and selects service endpoints and their product * The order flows automatically into a Carma-built Customer Portal, which submits a configuration request to Ciena Navigator * Navigator then activates the service on Cirion's network and returns a completion confirmation to Carma * Carma then automatically updates the order status, generates the complete Circuit Layout Record (CLR) and initiates billing The result: A fully provisioned, live network service with no manual intervention in approximately 90 seconds that is ready for invoicing. This seamless integration enables the automated provisioning of wavelength services - the first product in this new framework - across Cirion's massive 105,000-kilometer fiber footprint. By connecting Cirion's portal to Ciena's control suite through modern APIs, Carma Inc. has built a scalable foundation that supports rapid product expansion entirely without manual intervention. What true Network-as-a-Service delivers. When your foundational architecture is unified, your business operates differently. * Cirion's customers can now order, configure, and activate high-capacity network services directly through a self-service portal * They finally gain the elasticity, dynamic bandwidth management, and pay-as-you-use flexibility that made cloud computing successful, drastically reducing service delivery to near real-time. AI urgency demands this foundation. If your organization is exploring Agentic AI, that conversation must start with dynamic infrastructure. At Cirion, the Agentic AI boom has made a unified data model a necessity. The Latin American cloud market is expected to reach $125 billion by 2030, and the urgency is driven by autonomous AI agents. An agent in Bogotá interacting with another in São Paulo requires a temporary circuit that can be established instantly and released upon task completion. Static networks simply cannot provide this. By transforming legacy infrastructure into a fully automated, service-on-demand platform, Carma and Ciena are helping Cirion deliver exactly what the region's digital economy needs. Hear about this new generation of on-demand connectivity firsthand, in my interview at ITW 2026: Frank is the CEO and co-founder of Carma. He created Carma based on his first-hand experience in the industry - from the construction, operation, and management of fiber, microwave, and cellular networks to neutral colocation data centers. Frank holds a Bachelor's from Georgetown, a Masters in Project Management from George Washington, and a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt from Villanova. He separated from the US Air Force as a Captain in the Space and Missile career field.

TIKR
May 28th, 2026
Ciena stock is up over 600% in one year: What the numbers say about 2026.

Ciena stock is up over 600% in one year: What the numbers say about 2026. Last updated May 28, 2026 Key Takeaways: * Ciena's Q1 FY2026 revenue hit $1.43 billion, up 33.1% year over year, beating analyst estimates as AI-driven demand for optical networking accelerated sharply. * CIEN stock could rise from $582 to around $917 per share by October 2028, based on our valuation assumptions. * That implies a total return of around 58% and an annualized return of around 21% over the next 2.4 years. What Happened? Ciena Corporation (CIEN) delivered one of the most dramatic stock rallies in the networking sector. The stock gained over 606% in the past year. Shares reached a 52-week high of $606, up from a low of just $71. Investors have re-rated the business sharply as AI infrastructure spending unlocks a major upgrade cycle in optical networking. Q1 FY2026 revenue of $1.43 billion surged 33.1% year over year, beating analyst estimates by a wide margin. Management raised its full-year sales forecast after the strong result. Demand for WaveLogic 5 Extreme and WaveLogic 6 Extreme platforms accelerated across submarine cable and data center interconnect applications. Ciena also demonstrated quantum-secured communications at OFC 2026, signaling the depth of its technology roadmap. On the partnerships front, Ciena is deploying its platforms across major new customers globally. Biznet launched WaveLogic 5 Extreme on the BNCS-1 submarine cable in May 2026. Matrix NAP Info deployed WaveLogic 6 Extreme on the Matrix Cable System that same month. Cirion and Carma teamed with Ciena to launch on-demand NaaS connectivity across Latin America, where NaaS refers to Network as a Service. Despite the strong business momentum, the Street consensus target of $458 sits below the current price of $582. This gap suggests analysts have not yet fully revised estimates to match the new revenue trajectory. The forward two-year revenue CAGR consensus stands at 26.3%. Here's why Ciena stock could offer solid capital returns through 2028 as its core business drivers support shareholder value. What the Model Says for CIEN Stock. We analyzed the upside potential for Ciena stock based on its dominant WaveLogic technology platform, surging AI infrastructure investment from hyperscalers, and expanding global submarine and data center connectivity deployments. Based on estimates of 27.0% annual revenue growth, 21.8% operating margins, and a normalized P/E multiple of 56.1x, the model projects Ciena stock could rise from $582 to around $917 per share. That would be a 57.6% total return, or a 20.6% annualized return over the next 2.4 years. Our Valuation Assumptions. TIKR's Valuation Model lets you plug in your own assumptions for a company's revenue growth, operating margins, and P/E multiple, and calculates the stock's expected returns. Here's what we used for CIEN stock: 1. Revenue growth: 27%. Ciena is a global leader in intelligent networking systems for telecommunications carriers and cloud operators. Revenue growth of 18.8% over the past year reflects the initial wave of AI-driven bandwidth demand. The forward two-year revenue CAGR consensus of 26.3% is driven by hyperscaler capital expenditure acceleration and submarine cable upgrade cycles. WaveLogic technology gives Ciena a significant competitive moat in high-capacity optical transmission. Each new WaveLogic generation substantially increases capacity, enabling operators to scale bandwidth without proportionate cost increases. This technology advantage positions Ciena as a critical enabler of the global AI infrastructure buildout. Based on analysts' consensus estimates, we used 27.0% annual revenue growth. This reflects the rapid acceleration in AI networking deployments, submarine cable upgrades, and expanding NaaS connectivity solutions across emerging and developed markets. 2. Operating margins: 21.8%. Ciena's LTM EBIT margin stands at 8.2%, but the business has operated at much higher margins historically when revenue scales. Gross margins of 42.1% on an LTM basis provide ample room for operating leverage as the top line grows. The Blue Planet software platform adds a higher-margin recurring revenue stream that improves the overall mix over time. The transition toward software and services improves the margin profile as revenue scales. The forward two-year EBITDA CAGR consensus of 68.6% reflects the Street's expectation of significant operating leverage ahead. Based on analysts' consensus estimates, we used 21.8% operating margins. This reflects meaningful expansion from current levels as revenue scales and software mix increase, consistent with prior high-growth periods in the company's history. 3. Exit P/E multiple: 56.1x. Ciena currently trades at an NTM P/E of around 88x, reflecting strong growth expectations already embedded in the share price. High-growth networking infrastructure companies with secular AI tailwinds often command elevated multiples during acceleration phases. However, P/E multiples tend to compress as growth normalizes over longer periods. A 56.1x exit multiple reflects a forward premium consistent with continued above-market growth but with some normalization from current peak valuations. This remains appropriate given the AI infrastructure tailwind is expected to persist through the forecast period. Based on analysts' consensus estimates, we used a 56.1x exit multiple. This reflects Ciena's position as a technology-differentiated optical networking leader benefiting from a multi-year AI infrastructure investment cycle. What Happens If Things Go Better or Worse? Different scenarios for CIEN stock through 2030 show varied outcomes based on AI infrastructure spending levels and WaveLogic platform adoption rates (these are estimates, not guaranteed returns): * Low Case: AI capex growth moderates and submarine cable upgrade cycles slow | 19.1% annual returns * Mid Case: Hyperscaler spending sustains above-consensus networking deployments through the forecast period | 24.9% annual returns * High Case: Accelerated AI buildout and NaaS adoption drive above-forecast revenue and margin expansion | 30.4% annual returns Going forward, Ciena's trajectory depends on whether AI infrastructure spending continues at its current pace or moderates as the initial buildout phase matures. Even the low-case scenario implies strong double-digit annual returns, reflecting how deeply the AI networking tailwind has reshaped the growth profile. The key risk for investors at current prices is that expectations are already elevated, so any demand moderation could cause a meaningful re-rating. Should You Invest in Ciena? The only way to really know is to look at the numbers yourself. TIKR gives you free access to the same institutional-quality financial data that professional analysts use to answer exactly that question. Pull up CIEN, and you'll see years of historical financials, what Wall Street analysts expect for revenue and earnings in the quarters ahead, how valuation multiples have moved over time, and whether price targets are trending up or down. Looking for New Opportunities? * See what stock billionaire investors are buying so you can follow the smart money. * Analyze stocks in as little as 5 minutes with TIKR's all-in-one, easy-to-use platform. * The more rocks you overturn... the more opportunities you'll uncover. Search 100K+ global stocks, global top investor holdings, and more with TIKR. Disclaimer: Please note that the articles on TIKR are not intended to serve as investment or financial advice from TIKR or our content team, nor are they recommendations to buy or sell any stocks. We create our content based on TIKR Terminal's investment data and analysts' estimates. Our analysis might not include recent company news or important updates. TIKR has no position in any stocks mentioned. Thank you for reading, and happy investing! Table of Contents * Key Takeaways: * What Happened? * What the Model Says for CIEN Stock * Our Valuation Assumptions * What Happens If Things Go Better or Worse? * Should You Invest in Ciena? * Looking for New Opportunities? * Disclaimer: General Investing Stock Reviews Earnings Updates Join thousands of investors worldwide who use TIKR to supercharge their investment analysis.

Yahoo Finance
Apr 9th, 2026
Ciena deploys 1.6Tb/s optical tech in India as shares trade 45% above analyst target

Ciena is partnering with Vodafone Idea to deploy its WaveLogic 6 Extreme platform across India's largest carrier transport networks, introducing the country's first 1.6 Tb/s coherent optical technology supporting services up to 800G. The deployment aims to modernise Vodafone Idea's network for hyperscalers and enterprise customers. Ciena's share price stands at $494.01, representing a 100.8% year-to-date gain and 18.9% weekly increase. However, the stock trades 45% above the $340.94 analyst price target and 411.7% above estimated fair value. The company's price-to-earnings ratio sits at approximately 305, significantly higher than the communications industry average of 41. Analysts have flagged concerns about valuation stretch and one-off items affecting earnings quality, despite strong recent momentum in the optical networking sector.

Yahoo Finance
Apr 8th, 2026
Stifel raises Ciena price target to $430 after OFC 2026 showcase of AI-networking portfolio

Ciena Corporation has received a raised price target from Stifel analyst Ruben Roy, who increased it from $320 to $430 whilst maintaining a Buy rating. The upgrade followed the analyst's attendance at the company's investor breakfast and meetings with management at OFC 2026. Stifel highlighted Ciena's AI-networking and optical-technology portfolio, including higher-capacity optics, AI-driven network management and data-centre interconnect solutions. During its fiscal Q1 2026, Ciena delivered 33.09% year-over-year revenue growth to $1.43 billion, beating Wall Street expectations by $28.88 million. EPS of $1.35 exceeded forecasts by $0.18. The company manufactures networking hardware and software for telecommunications and network operators, helping them increase capacity and automate operations.

Yahoo Finance
Apr 1st, 2026
Ciena surges 66% in 3 months as stock reaches $51.6B valuation despite analyst target of $120

Ciena, a network technology company, has seen its share price surge 66% over the past three months and 57% year to date, pushing its market capitalisation to $51.6 billion. The stock recently closed at $388.23, despite a 9.58% pullback over seven days. With annual revenue of $5.1 billion and net income of $229 million, Ciena now trades well above analyst consensus price targets of $120.40. The most followed valuation narrative places fair value at approximately $237 per share, suggesting the stock may be overvalued by 64%. The company's price-to-sales ratio of 10.7x sits below the peer average of 12.7x but above a fair ratio of 6.2x. Analysts highlight risks including potential customer order cuts and margin pressure from emerging networking technologies.

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