Network Solutions Engineer - Optical Engineer
$95.5k - $152.5k/yr+ Discretionary incentive bonus
Expert
Bachelor's
Illinois, USA
In PersonOnsite at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. Travel up to 25%.
Solution EngineeringImplementation & Technical Account Management
No H1B Sponsorship
US Citizenship Required
About the job
Requirements
- U.S. citizenship is required.
- An active Secret security clearance is required; Top Secret clearance is preferred.
- Ability to work independently and in a team environment.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Experience with Ciena products.
- Strong understanding of SONET, DWDM, ROADM/nOADM architecture, and provisioning and implementation.
- Strong understanding of Ethernet architecture, provisioning, and implementation.
- Strong understanding of IP/MPLS/L3 protocols, including MPLS-TP.
- Familiarity with Network Management Systems (NMS), including Ciena MCP/Navigator.
- 10+ years of experience with low-speed network access interfaces and terminations, such as sub-T-1, DS0, T1, E-1, DS-3, OC-3, OC-12, and OC-48.
- Knowledge of fiber optics, including ISP patches and connectors and OSP fiber characterization and OTDR familiarity.
- Ability to work in a lab environment and read and follow network diagrams, cabling guides, and signal flow diagrams.
- A diverse telecommunications background and strong hands-on technical experience.
- Willingness to assist team members with other projects as required.
- Bachelor’s degree in Telecommunications, Networking, or a related technical field; equivalent experience in a related field may be considered instead of a degree.
- Willingness to travel up to 25%.
Responsibilities
- Collaborate with customers and stakeholders to understand project requirements and support network architecture design and implementation.
- Develop and execute test plans to validate equipment functionality, interoperability, security, and performance against customer requirements.
- Translate test results into actionable implementation plans and provide engineering support during deployment, including Layer-0, Layer-1, and Layer-2 support; Layer-3 experience is a plus.
- Perform pre-commissioning in customer labs or staging facilities, including assessing equipment inventory against the final Ciena Bill of Materials and initially commissioning Ciena systems according to provided documentation.
- Support greenfield network implementation by commissioning equipment, optimizing span and channel parameters, and ensuring seamless deployment.
- Turn up network services according to Ciena best practices, including end-to-end circuit testing to ensure error-free operation.
- Perform basic electrical tasks and determine when specialized contractors are required.
- Provide customer guidance and operational training on Ciena Network Management Systems, including enrolling network elements, creating device profiles, configuring backups, and provisioning services.
- Escalate and resolve issues with Ciena platforms according to Ciena procedures.
- Collaborate with customer and internal technical teams to analyze optical performance and escalate anomalies to appropriate stakeholders.
- Deliver accurate documentation of configuration, provisioning, and testing results as project deliverables.
Desired Qualifications
- Hands-on expertise with Ciena 6500 DWDM/OTN and Route Switch platforms, including Ciena Site Manager, MCP/Navigator software, and Service-Aware Operating System (SAOS).
- Experience with legacy SONET and TDM systems, including OCx, DS1, and DS3 circuits, TDM BER testing practices, and test plan development.
- Ability to troubleshoot and optimize network performance in lab and field environments.
- Proficiency in documenting network configurations, including rack face diagrams, signal flow diagrams, cable run lists, migration cut sheets, and as-built network diagrams for customer deliverables.
- Ability to train customers in operational use of Ciena Site Manager and Navigator, including enrolling network elements, creating device profiles, configuring backups, provisioning services, performing software upgrades, troubleshooting network issues, analyzing network performance, and conducting maintenance activities.
About the company
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
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- September 28, 2026 CtrlS chose Ciena for 100 Tb/s India metro interconnects.
- September 23, 2026 ACE selected Ciena to upgrade Africa-Europe submarine capacity above 30 Tb/s.
- September 3, 2026 backlog hit $8.5 billion, with revenue up 37% to $1.67 billion.
What critics are saying
- Two customers drove 41.7% of Q3 revenue; one hyperscaler delay hits 2027 immediately.
- Ciena’s backlog includes cancelable orders; supply normalization by 2028 crushes pricing power.
- If hyperscaler capex stalls, Ciena’s 2029 targets collapse and valuation rerates hard.
What makes Ciena unique
- Ciena’s September 2026 investor forum targeted 2029 margins, proving pricing power and scale.
- WaveLogic 6 Extreme and 6500 platforms anchor Ciena’s coherent-optics leadership across subsea and hyperscale networks.
- Navigator automation plus services lets Ciena sell integrated networks, not commoditized boxes.
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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