Full-Time
Senior Automation/Controls Engineer
Viavi Solutions
5,001-10,000 employees
Provides network performance, optical security solutions
Compensation Overview
$134.4k - $249.6k/yr
Santa Rosa, CA, USA
In Person
Occasional international travel required.
Bachelor's
 Electrical Engineering (1) |
|---|
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- Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Controls, Automation, or equivalent experience
- 5+ years in industrial controls/automation in a manufacturing environment
- PLC programming: Siemens Step 7 / TIA Portal or Mitsubishi GX Developer
- Experience supporting automation in 24/7 or continuous production environments
- Programming with Visual Studio, C#
- End-to-end ownership of capital project automation scope
- HMI development, industrial networking, SQL databases, source code management
- Strong troubleshooting skills; ability to read electrical schematics and P&IDs
- Excellent communication skills; occasional international travel required
- Design, develop, and maintain PLC and HMI systems for manufacturing equipment
- Commission new automation hardware and software; integrate with existing infrastructure
- Configure and commission motor drives, motion systems, and closed-loop control systems
- Design and administer SQL databases; manage industrial networks (Profibus, Ethernet/IP, OPC)
- Maintain source control, documentation, and change records for all control system work
- Lead or contribute to capital project scoping, scheduling, and execution
- Mentor junior engineers; collaborate across Operations, Maintenance, and Engineering teams
- Demonstrate communication and leadership skills aligned with future management growth
- Resolve PLC/HMI faults rapidly to restore production
- Support planned maintenance windows and change deployments
- Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions
- Improve control logic, alarming, and system reliability
- Partner closely with maintenance and operations teams
- Own automation scope on new machine installations
- Define PLC/HMI/network architecture for new systems
- Manage vendors, FAT/SAT, and project documentation
- Commission and validate systems into Operations
- Allen-Bradley / Rockwell or Honeywell PLC platforms
- LabVIEW, Wonderware System Platform, Oracle, Linux, Windows administration
- Vision systems, vacuum coating processes, optics knowledge
- Prior team-lead experience
VIAVI Solutions provides test, measurement, and assurance products for networks and services, along with optical security solutions. It serves mobile operators, governments, enterprise networks, and infrastructure contractors, offering hardware and software tools to design, deploy, monitor, and verify network performance and security. Unlike many competitors, VIAVI combines breadth across telecom networks with optical security capabilities and serves a global customer base, enabling end-to-end validation and protection of critical infrastructure. The company’s goal is to help customers deploy and operate reliable, high-performance networks and services while ensuring security and compliance.
Company Size
5,001-10,000
Company Stage
IPO
Headquarters
Newbury, Massachusetts
Founded
1923
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Fiscal 2026 revenue reached $1.518 billion, up 40%, with non-GAAP margin at 20.6%.
- June 2026 Ultra Ethernet, PCIe 6.0, and Vertex 6.0 launches target AI infrastructure.
- August 2026 SHIELD-6G funding and DOCOMO demos deepen 6G security and validation relevance.
What critics are saying
- S&P cut VIAVI to B+ in October 2025 after the $600 million term loan.
- Fiscal 2026 still showed a $30.4 million GAAP loss, despite $243.8 million non-GAAP income.
- If AI testing demand slows, VIAVI's debt-heavy Spirent bet traps capital and compresses valuation.
What makes Viavi Solutions unique
- VIAVI's 2026 stack spans 1.6T Ethernet, PCIe 6.0, and channel emulation across AI labs.
- The October 2025 Spirent buy adds high-speed Ethernet, security, and channel emulation breadth.
- VIAVI's defense and timing tools differentiate through TETRA, GNSS, and mission-critical radio testing.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
401(k) Retirement Plan
Growth & Insights and Company News
6 month growth
↑ 6%1 year growth
↑ 6%2 year growth
↑ 6%VIAVI Solutions has introduced Vertex 6.0, the industry's first channel emulator designed for 6G and Wi-Fi 7/8 testing. The platform features 400 MHz instantaneous bandwidth and supports carrier frequencies up to 23.6 GHz. Vertex 6.0 extends VIAVI's wireless portfolio by recreating real-world RF propagation conditions in laboratory environments. It represents the first Vertex upgrade following VIAVI's acquisition of Spirent Communications' high-speed Ethernet, network security and channel emulation testing business. Each 6U Vertex chassis supports 36 RF ports, 256 digital links and up to 1.6 GHz of bandwidth. The platform provides emulation for cellular, Wi-Fi, military and aerospace RF technologies, supporting configurations from 2x2 up to 8x8 for Wi-Fi applications.
Paul McNab, executive vice president and chief marketing and strategy officer at Viavi Solutions, sold 1,595 shares of the company on 10 August 2026 for approximately $60,000, according to an SEC Form 4 filing. The shares were sold at $37.37 each, slightly above the $37.20 closing price on the transaction date. Following the sale, McNab retains 13,876 directly held shares. The transaction reduced his direct position by 10%. Viavi Solutions provides network testing, monitoring, and assurance solutions to telecommunications providers, enterprises, and government organisations globally. The company operates through three segments: Network Enablement, Service Enablement, and Optical Security and Performance Products. At market close on 10 August 2026, Viavi had a market capitalisation of $8.7 billion.
StockStory analysed three cash-producing stocks, recommending investors avoid two while highlighting one with stronger prospects. Allegro MicroSystems faces end-market challenges, with flat sales over two years and operating margin falling to 2% over five years. The power management chip designer trades at 37.6x forward P/E. Viavi Solutions showed weak performance with 3.4% annual growth over five years, whilst earnings per share remained flat despite revenue growth. The telecommunications testing company trades at 26.2x forward P/E. Merck emerged as the recommended stock, boasting a 21.5% trailing 12-month free cash flow margin. The pharmaceutical company's portfolio includes the blockbuster cancer immunotherapy Keytruda. The analysis emphasises that strong cash flow alone doesn't guarantee superior returns without efficient capital allocation.
VIAVI Solutions has been awarded $1.1 million in funding from the European Smart Networks and Services Joint Undertaking and Horizon Europe to advance the SHIELD-6G project. The company will develop digital twins using its TeraVM AI RAN Scenario Generator, enabling AI-driven security models to be tested before commercial 6G networks launch. The SHIELD-6G project aims to create a comprehensive AI-driven cyber threat intelligence platform for 6G networks. VIAVI will use its technology to simulate, detect and analyse potential threats across network environments. VIAVI joins a European consortium coordinated by University College Dublin, working alongside Ericsson, Nokia, Thales and network operators Telefónica and LMT of Latvia. SHIELD-6G is part of Horizon Europe's initiative to accelerate European 6G research, which selected 20 new projects.
Viavi Solutions shares have surged 167.9% year to date, outpacing the industry's 150.2% growth and competitors Keysight Technologies (72.3%) and Ciena (109.7%). The company is benefiting from strong demand in AI infrastructure, particularly in its Network and Service Enablement segment. Recent innovations include the industry's first Ultra Ethernet Transport validation solution for AI fabrics and AI Experts, an AI-driven software layer for testing platforms. Viavi also secured PCIe 6.0 Certification and acquired Spirent's high-speed Ethernet business, expanding its customer base and capabilities. Operating margins improved to 21% in Q3 fiscal 2026 from 16.7% year-ago, whilst revenue grew 42.8% and non-GAAP operating income increased 79.2%. The company expects further margin expansion in Q4.