Principal Hardware Engineer

Quick Facts

Principal Hardware Engineer (Optical Transport & Coherent Pluggable)

Description

Provide technical leadership in the development of next-generation Optical Transport and Coherent Pluggable solutions for metro, core, long-haul, and data center interconnect applications. Own the architecture, design, validation, and production support of advanced optical networking products, including coherent transceivers, DWDM systems, and optical transport platforms. Serve as a subject matter expert and collaborate across optical, electrical, firmware, FPGA, software, mechanical, manufacturing, and systems engineering teams to deliver innovative, high-performance networking solutions.

Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Lead hardware architecture and design of coherent pluggable transceivers and optical transport subsystems.
• Drive technical decisions related to high-speed digital, RF, mixed-signal, and optical hardware design.
• Mentor and provide technical guidance across multiple product development teams.
• Act as primary technical resource for complex engineering challenges and design reviews.
• Evaluate emerging technologies, components, and architectures for future product roadmaps.

Hardware Design & Development

• Develop system architectures, block diagrams, schematics, and detailed hardware specifications.
• Design and validate high-speed circuit boards for coherent optical communication systems.
• Lead signal integrity, power integrity, and electromagnetic compatibility analyses.
• Collaborate with PCB layout engineers for performance, manufacturability, reliability, and cost optimization.
• Oversee hardware integration, verification, qualification, and release across the product lifecycle.
• Support new product introductions and production transfers to manufacturing partners.

Optical Transport Systems

• Define and evaluate optical subsystem requirements for coherent pluggable modules, DWDM transport systems, optical amplifiers, ROADM technologies, wavelength-selective switches, and laser/photodetector-based subsystems.
• Perform system-level analysis, performance modeling, and design trade studies.
• Work with suppliers to evaluate and qualify optical components and technologies.

Test & Validation

• Develop test strategies, qualification plans, and validation methodologies.
• Use laboratory equipment including network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, BER testers, oscilloscopes, and optical measurement equipment.
• Analyze performance data and lead root-cause investigations.
• Drive corrective actions and continuous product improvements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with Systems, Software, FPGA, Mechanical, Manufacturing, Quality, and Product Management teams.
• Participate in customer, supplier, and executive technical reviews.
• Support field deployments and resolution of complex customer issues when required.
• Ensure projects meet performance, schedule, reliability, and cost objectives.

Requirements

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related discipline required.
• Master's degree preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education and directly related industry experience considered in lieu of an advanced degree.

Experience

• 10+ years of hardware engineering experience in telecommunications, networking, or optical communications.
• Significant experience designing high-speed electronic hardware and optical networking systems.
• Proven experience developing coherent optical transceivers, optical transport platforms, or DWDM networking products.
• Demonstrated success leading complex product developments from concept through production release.

Technical Skills

• Expertise in coherent optical communications and pluggable transceiver technologies.
• Strong knowledge of DWDM transport systems and optical networking architectures.
• Experience with high-speed board design, signal integrity, and RF design techniques.
• Proficiency with schematic capture and simulation tools such as Xpedition, HFSS, ADS, HyperLynx, or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of S-parameters, impedance matching, high-speed serial interfaces, optical link budgets, and mixed-signal design.
• Experience with laboratory characterization and optical test equipment.
• Knowledge of manufacturing processes, Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Testability (DFT), and product qualification methodologies.

Leadership Competencies

• Strategic thinking and systems-level problem-solving ability.
• Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to influence technical direction across multiple organizations.
• Proven coaching and mentoring capabilities.
• Strong project execution and decision-making skills.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative engineering environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or Physics.
• Experience with coherent optical systems and pluggable architectures.
• Experience supporting hyperscale, carrier, or service provider optical networks.
• Familiarity with automation, scripting, and data analysis tools.
• Experience collaborating with global engineering and manufacturing teams.

Benefits

Not specified in the provided text.