Senior Software Engineer

About the role

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena builds the critical infrastructure powering the AI era. We’re a technology company shaping the future of networking, guided by innovation, integrity, and collaboration. Through development opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility, Ciena supports growth and well-being—on and off the job. Connect with a career that matters.

Senior Software Engineer, WaveLogic Modem Software Development plays a critical role in delivering next-generation optical transport and switching capabilities at Ciena. This role contributes to embedded software that enables high-performance Layer 1/2 networking across advanced hardware platforms. The work directly impacts product quality, scalability, and customer adoption.

How you will make an impact

• Design embedded software in C running on Linux to configure ASIC and hardware components
• Implement software to manage hardware resources and meet data path requirements for transport and switching applications
• Collaborate with local and remote engineering teams to plan, estimate, and track development activities
• Contribute across the product development lifecycle including definition, design, planning, implementation, and testing
• Review product requirements and customer use cases to inform software design decisions
• Prototype and evaluate alternative solutions on target hardware platforms
• Deliver functional specifications and technical design documentation for embedded software architectures

The must haves

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering
• Experience: 2+ years of experience in an embedded software development role within a networking or telecommunications environment, including building applications using C or C++
• Application of BSP development, security features, and board bring-up
• Development of Linux kernel drivers and user space drivers
• Application of embedded systems concepts including Linux operating systems, mutual exclusion, synchronization, interrupt handling, and inter-process communication
• Background in datacom and telecom concepts such as DWDM, OTN, Ethernet, and TCP/IP
• Debugging using tools such as GDB and Valgrind
• Verbal and technical writing skills

Nice to haves

• Experience designing embedded systems using microservice architecture on real-time operating systems
• Ability to interpret CPU hardware architectures, hardware functional specifications, and hardware timing diagrams
• Linux as a software development environment
• Exposure to CLI, TL1, SNMP, NETCONF, REST, and gRPC
• Use of development tools including Git, Eclipse, JIRA, Confluence, GDB, and Yocto
• YANG modeling language and related toolchains
• Scripting using Python, Go, or Bash

Pay range information for this position, in USD is

$92,900.00 - 148,300.00

#LI-JD

Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.

Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission. In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation time. We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.

If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.