Fiber Optics Design Engineer

Panduit•Tinley Park, IL

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Panduit, we don’t just offer a job – we offer a career where your contributions directly impact our customers, the environment and our company’s success. You’ll have the opportunity to grow, innovate, and be a part of an inclusive team that celebrates both individual and collective achievements. If you’re ready to elevate your career and help us deliver exceptional experiences to our customers, apply today and make your mark with Panduit! Works under supervision on various engineering project tasks, including performing engineering analysis such as competitive, failure modes and effects, cost, and manufacturing technology assessments. Designs components, verifies specifications through testing, and implements manufacturing processes. Occasionally provides field support and manages small projects from start to finish. Assists in proposing innovative product features. Applies technical expertise within a single discipline, such as mechanical, electronics, software/firmware, materials science, or optics. Builds working relationships both within the team and across the company. Innovation thrives when engineers are empowered to think differently, experiment boldly, and solve meaningful challenges. That’s why we’ve built an environment designed for creativity and collaboration. Our 200,000 sq. ft. Innovation Center in Tinley Park, Illinois, features 18 cutting-edge laboratories and a state-of-the-art rapid modeling tool room – all dedicated to helping you turn ideas into impactful reality. The Fiber Optics Design Engineer will drive the design and development of innovative fiber optic connectivity solutions for telecommunications, data center, and high-performance computing applications. This role leads the full product lifecycle, from concept through launch, while partnering across teams to advance cutting-edge optical technologies. Hands-on fiber optics experience is essential for this role.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree Engineering, Opto-electronics, or Optical Engineering.
1.5 - 5 years in related role, with application experience in fiber optic connectivity in datacenter preferred.
Experience with fiber optic connectors (MPO, LC, etc) cable assemblies, optical testing, optical measurements (insertion loss, return loss, alignment sensitivity, environmental testing), optical packaging, and ferrule alignment.
Familiarity with optical communication transceivers, high-speed optical links, fundamentals of micro-optics or lens design, and industry standards (IEC, TIA, Telcordia).
Experience using MATLAB or Python for engineering analysis.
Strong communication and teamwork skills.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degrees a strong plus.
Experience with product design in 3D CAD preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop advanced fiber optic connectivity solutions , including connectors, cable assemblies, and high-density interconnect systems.
Lead products through the full development lifecycle , from concept and prototyping to testing and manufacturing release.
Execute product validation , qualification, and reliability testing for next-generation datacenter applications.
Research emerging technologies and apply innovative solutions to drive product advancement.
Partner with application engineering teams to understand customer environments, deployment challenges, and real-world use cases.
Create technical documentation , including specifications, test plans, validation reports, and application notes.
Bring creative, out-of-the-box thinking to product concepts, designs, and problem-solving.