Fall 2025, Winter 2025
Hardware Design Co-Op
Posted on 5/20/2025
Ciena
10,001+ employees
Delivers adaptive optical networking services
Compensation Overview
$24.50 - $33/hr
Ottawa, ON, Canada
In Person
Bachelor's
 Hardware Engineering (1) |
|---|
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- Electrical Engineering program or equivalent
- Familiarity with lab test equipment (oscilloscopes, logic analyzers and test sets) and measurement techniques would be beneficial
- Understanding of high speed signaling, transmission lines, digital and analog design
- Review alternate components for 2nd source qualification and obsolescence
- Execute hardware verification plans and debug prototype hardware using test equipment such as oscilloscopes, logic/network analyzers, protocol/signal generators etc.
- Debug and support hardware investigations of field issues
- Modify circuit packs to enable testing or to fix issues uncovered during testing
- Experience designing and debugging hardware is an asset
- Experience with PCB schematic capture and layout tools is an asset
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
Get referred to Ciena
See people who can refer or advise you
Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Q2 fiscal 2026 revenue hit $1.57 billion, up 40%, and backlog reached $7.7 billion.
- Ciena raised fiscal 2026 revenue guidance to $6.3 billion after supply-constrained execution.
- August 2026 wins from Vodafone Idea, e& UAE, and Quantum Corridor expand demand.
What critics are saying
- Cisco and Nokia intensified optical competition in 2026, especially after Nokia's Infinera integration.
- Ciena still runs through supply constraints, forcing higher security spending and margin pressure.
- If Cisco and Nokia commoditize 800G and 1.6T optics, Ciena's premium pricing collapses.
What makes Ciena unique
- WaveLogic 6 Extreme delivered 1.6 Tb/s on live fiber, plus PQC and QKD interworking.
- Ciena's photonic line systems let WL5e customers upgrade quantum-safe encryption through software.
- India houses Ciena's largest R&D center outside North America, with 2,000 employees.
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Benefits
Health Insurance
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401(k) Company Match
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↑ 0%Ciena survey highlights AI network services and network upgrades. A recent Ciena survey of service providers underscores the revenue potential of AI-driven networking. Ninety percent[1] of respondents expect high-capacity AI network services - connectivity to AI infrastructure required by enterprises, hyperscalers, and neoscalers - to drive revenue growth over the next three to five years, with 56% citing them as their primary source of net-new revenue. Confidence is equally strong in managed optical fiber network (MOFN) services, with 96%[3] expecting them to generate revenue from connecting distributed AI compute clusters over the next three years, and 51% identifying MOFN as their primary vehicle for delivering data center interconnect (DCI) services. However, as service providers pursue new AI-driven revenue opportunities, the majority (88%[2]) of survey respondents had a strong sense of urgency on the need for optical network upgrades to support the demands of premium enterprise AI service level agreements (SLAs). Additionally: * Nearly half (48%) believe those upgrades are critical, and 39% said they are needed within the next 12-18 months. * Only 11% believe routine upgrades will be sufficient to meet the demand. * Advanced network automation, including agentic AI, is seen as essential (96%[4] surveyed agree) to capitalize on AI-driven opportunities. The Ciena survey, conducted in collaboration with Censuswide questioned more than 1,200 telecom, wholesale, and regional service provider experts across 12 countries and found that service providers see multiple emerging opportunities to expand AI-related revenue streams: * AI Inference: Nearly half (49%) of those surveyed believe growth in AI inference data centers will create new revenue opportunities by increasing demand for data center interconnect (DCI) services. * GPU-as-a-Service: Service providers see significant opportunities to capture GPU-as-a-service revenue, with 94%[5] viewing strategic partnerships with cloud and neocloud providers as essential to success. Among those surveyed, 44% plan to adopt revenue-sharing models as their primary go-to-market strategy. * Connecting AI in day-to-day life: The growing use of AI in everyday life is presenting additional revenue opportunities for service providers. Almost all respondents (95%[1]) believe immersive and AI-driven entertainment will contribute to new revenue streams in the next three years. Nearly one-third (29%) named AI wearables and personal devices, including smart glasses and health trackers, as the leading consumer hardware category expected to drive premium service revenue. * The network edge: 39% of service providers surveyed believe services hosted at the network edge, such as edge compute, GPUaaS and localized AI inference, will drive more than 20% of enterprise revenue over the next three years, while 88% expect it to drive at least 10%. * Physical AI: Nearly two-thirds (60%) of respondents expect physical AI ecosystems, including industrial robotics and remote-control systems, to account for more than 15% of their total enterprise AI revenue within five years. Beyond revenue opportunities, the survey highlights how AI is reshaping service provider priorities, from network performance and cloud connectivity to security and new service delivery models. Additional findings include: * The race for reliability, not just bandwidth: AI workloads are increasingly critical to business processes and the networks supporting them must be capable of delivering high-performance connectivity consistently to keep applications running satisfactorily. 35% of service providers identify network consistency - including guaranteed performance stability and low jitter - as the top opportunity for monetization through premium service offerings. * The rise of scale-across AI infrastructure: As power constraints limit data center expansion on a single campus, hyperscalers are scaling compute capacity across distributed locations. These facilities need to be tightly integrated requiring ultra-high-speed synchronous communications. In the case of distributed synchronous training of large frontier models, these connections can reach tens of petabits-per-second, requiring up to hundreds of fiber pairs lit in parallel at full capacity. 95%[6] of the respondents see hyperscaler scale-across demand as a substantial contributor for wholesale revenue growth. * Revenue drivers for multi-cloud enterprise environments: Service providers are shifting toward dynamic connectivity models as their main revenue drivers. Multi-cloud connectivity management (56%) and consumption-based bandwidth services (50%) rank highest, outpacing traditional fixed-capacity services (38%). Additionally, 47% expect enterprises moving large datasets between cloud environments for AI processing to drive demand for high-capacity, flexible cloud connectivity. * Quantum-safe encryption is critical: Secure networking remains top of mind with quantum-safe technology emerging as a key focus for service providers preparing their networks for AI-driven demand. More than half of respondents (51%) stated that they have already launched or expect to launch commercial quantum-safe encryption services, including QKD-protected links and/or PQC-ready managed security, within 12 months. Another 48%[7] are in the early stages of development or evaluation, underscoring the importance of preparing for quantum computer threats. Additionally, 'advanced physical and cyber security' capabilities were cited as the leading commercial driver of sovereign network infrastructure. Brodie Gage, Chief Product and Technology Officer, Ciena The survey findings show that service providers are approaching AI with both optimism and urgency. Service providers see significant opportunities around AI inference, GPU-as-a-Service, high-capacity network services, and quantum-safe encryption, while recognizing that many existing networks must evolve to meet new performance demands. The message is clear: AI is creating new sources of revenue, and success will depend on having the network foundation to support them. Ray Sharma is an Industry Analyst and Editor at The Fast Mode. He has over 15 years of experience in mobile broadband technologies and solutions, conducting research and analysis on various technology segments and producing articles and write-ups on the latest developments within the sector. He is also in charge of social media engagement and industry liaisons. The Fast Mode 9658 likes TWEETS 28.4K FOLLOWING 3479 FOLLOWERS 13.2K
Quintessent has raised $40 million in an oversubscribed Series A funding round led by Cycle Capital, with participation from Goldman Sachs XIG-Industry Ventures, Hina Liberty Capital, Susquehanna International Group, and others. The Santa Barbara-based company is developing optical interconnect products for AI datacentres. Quintessent has begun customer sampling of its single-chip quantum dot-based DWDM comb laser, which generates eight wavelengths from a single laser with one bias control. The technology aims to simplify optical connectivity for AI clusters whilst reducing power consumption and manufacturing complexity. The company's laser architecture uses Gallium Arsenide quantum dot gain material integrated on silicon photonics, avoiding capacity constraints in the Indium Phosphide supply chain. Quintessent claims the design can deliver up to 40% reduction in data movement power compared to alternative architectures. The funding will support product maturation, manufacturing scale-up, and development of additional optical components for AI infrastructure applications.
Ciena Corporation's service provider business grew 28% year over year in its most recent quarter, driven by demand for managed optical fibre networks ("MOFN") as artificial intelligence fuels need for high-capacity connectivity. Revenues from India more than doubled, with service providers partnering with cloud providers to deliver MOFN connectivity. Management noted service providers are investing in optical infrastructure after roughly five years of underinvestment whilst focusing on 5G. Ciena's second-quarter fiscal 2026 revenues rose 40% year over year to $1.57 billion, with backlog reaching $7.7 billion. The company raised its fiscal 2026 revenue guidance to $6.3 billion, implying 32% growth at the midpoint. However, Ciena faces competition from Cisco Systems and Nokia, whose recent Infinera acquisition strengthened its optical networking portfolio.
Gary B. Smith, President and CEO of Ciena Corporation, sold 2,952 shares of common stock for approximately $1.3 million on 17 August 2026, according to a SEC Form 4 filing. The sale was executed as part of a Rule 10b5-1 plan adopted in October 2025, which allows for scheduled transactions to avoid concerns regarding material non-public information. Following the transaction, Smith maintains a substantial direct stake of 246,030 shares, representing a market value of $109 million as of 17 August 2026. Ciena develops and delivers integrated telecommunications infrastructure solutions, including specialised hardware, software applications, and professional services. The company has a market capitalisation of $63 billion and trailing twelve-month revenue of $5.6 billion.
What's up with... MVNOs, NTT Docomo, Ciena. Aug 6, 2026 * MVNOs set to take 30% of UK mobile market * NTT Docomo Business to mine the B2B sector with IOWN * Ciena and Toshiba team up for quantum-safe trial In today's industry news roundup: UK MVNO market set to boom in next five years, according to research firm; NTT Docomo takes IOWN-based optical connectivity to Chile; Chicago is home to the latest quantum-safe connectivity trial of note; and much more! The MVNO (mobile virtual network operator) market in the UK is set for significant growth during the next few years as increasingly cost-conscious customers opt for the mobile services and products on offer from an increasing number of virtual operators, including established brands such as Tesco Mobile, Sky Mobile, Lebara and Lyca Mobile and "a new breed of digital competitors" such as fintech players Revolut and N26 that are "spurring new customer journeys that threaten to upend the traditional telecom landscape," according to research firm FDM CCS Insight. According to the analyst house, the number of connections to MVNOs in the UK - excluding operator sub-brands such as VMO2's giffgaff and VodafoneThree's Voxi - is expected to grow from about 20.3 million at the end of 2025 (representing 22% of the total mobile market, excluding machine-to-machine connections) to 30.7 million (30% of the total market) by the end of 2031, a leap of about 50%. As a result, total UK MVNO service revenues are expected to almost double from just under £2.4bn in 2025 to more than £4.5bn in 2031. Kester Mann, director of consumer and connectivity at FDM CCS Insight, described the "rise of MVNOs" as "bittersweet for network operators", as "virtual providers offer a path to higher wholesale revenue as telcos connect new customers to their networks" while at the same time resulting in ever greater retail competition from low-cost providers "that threatens to stymie elusive industry efforts to grow". The result will be "years of customer losses" for the three main infrastructure-based mobile operators, BT Group's EE, VMO2 and VodafoneThree, predicts Mann. NTT Docomo Business has launched a proof of concept in partnership with Chile's state-owned copper mining company Codelco to test remote operations using the Japanese firm's IOWN (innovative optical and wireless network) all-photonics network (APN) architecture. The initiative, which is part of a wider research project commissioned by Japan's Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications, will see Codelco connect one of its copper mines with a remote operations centre located 1,500km away via an IOWN APN. The aim of the study is to assess the feasibility of remotely operating heavy machinery using high-capacity, low latency communications links, such as in a copper mine, in order to boost safety and operational efficiency. NTT Docomo will link the El Teniente copper mine to a remote centre in the Chilean city of Rancagua, running high-definition video feeds and remote operations via high-speed photonic connections. The Japanese operator's parent company, NTT Group, was the initiator of the IOWN model, which is now being adopted and supported by an increasing number of partners: NTT was the founder of the IOWN Global Forum (you can find out more about the forum in this TelecomTV interview). Optical networking giant Ciena has teamed up with Toshiba and Quantum Corridor, a Chicago-area quantum-ready network specialist that is "connecting enterprise, research, government, and datacentre partners through quantum-safe connectivity, precision timing, and quantum compute access", for a quantum-safe networking trial. The trial, already completed, showed how a combination of optical encryption with post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms and quantum key distribution (QKD) can help organisations "protect critical in-flight data". Ciena noted in this announcement that the trial, which was conducted across Quantum Corridor's live production network between datacentres in Chicago and Hammond, Indiana, "successfully validated 1.6 Tbit/s of encrypted connectivity using Ciena's Waveserver platform powered by WL6e, alongside existing WaveLogic 5 Extreme (WL5e) 800G encrypted traffic running on the same RLS [reconfigurable line system]... The trial also showcased interworking with Toshiba's QKD servers, which provide quantum-generated keys to both Ciena's optical encryption systems." Ciena also noted that the trial "comes as governments and enterprises accelerate planning for the post-quantum era. Governments across the globe are issuing mandates to ensure quantum-readiness to transition information systems to NIST-approved PQC standards, reinforcing the urgency for critical infrastructure operators and businesses to begin preparing the migration now." Still with the optical vendor... e& UAE, part of the broader e& empire, is deploying optical and software solutions from Ciena to "build a future-ready, high-capacity dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) network capable of handling surging traffic demands," the vendor announced in this press release. "This network enhancement will enable e& UAE to power the next wave of digital growth with greater scalability, ultra-high-capacity, and the foundation needed for the massive demands of the advanced digital services," it added. Ciena is supplying e& UAE with its RLS and Waveserver platform equipped with WaveLogic 6 Extreme (WL6e) 1.6Tbit/s coherent optics as well as its Navigator Network Control Suite for "end-to-end network visibility and automation". Marwan Bin Shakar, CTO at e& UAE, noted: "This new DWDM network represents a significant step forward in the capacity and scalability of our infrastructure, helping the region respond to rapidly growing bandwidth demand. We selected Ciena because of its proven leadership in high-capacity optical networking and its ability to deliver scalable, resilient and low-latency infrastructure. With Ciena's technology, we can provide customers across the Middle East with connectivity designed to support their evolving needs." It has been a humbling few weeks for the big AI companies, as questions have been raised over the safety of their latest products, with both OpenAI and Anthropic finding their models had gone rogue and behaved like cybercriminals. We can now add Meta to that list, after the Facebook parent revealed one of its models had connected to the internet to carry out an unauthorised attack on another organisation's systems. A Meta spokesperson told the BBC that it was investigating a hack that had been caused by a "misconfiguration" by an independent tester during trials carried out by AI security vendor Irregular. Irregular also carried out tests for Anthropic's AI model that had gained access to three other companies' systems. Meta hasn't revealed much else about the attack, saying it is investigating, but it is the fourth incident to be disclosed by a major AI developer in recent weeks, with OpenAI involved in two of those incidents. Rakuten Mobile has integrated Anthropic's AI model Claude into its corporate generative AI service, Rakuten AI for Business, "to deliver new research and data analysis capabilities," the Japanese operator announced. "The features are designed to assist corporate clients in information gathering, data analysis and decision-making," it stated. Launched in January 2025, Rakuten AI for Business "supports a wide range of business activities for corporate clients and is optimized for Japanese culture, regulations and business customs," noted the operator. - The staff, TelecomTV Just published! Download TelecomTV's Network Automation for the AI-Native Telco Report for exclusive insights into the automated network advances being made by key telecom operators from around the world... The AI-Native Telco Forum returns to Düsseldorf on 8-9 September. Join 200 senior telecom leaders as the industry moves from proving AI works to making it pay at scale. Spaces are limited - secure your place now.