Optical Hardware Product Engineer

Cisco•Maynard, MA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Optical Hardware Product Engineer is a member of Cisco’s Optics Operations Product Engineering team, which partners with development engineers to design and sustain optical transceiver components and modules throughout their product lifecycles. The role supports Cisco Optics Operations’ next-generation product portfolio and helps enable innovation, customer experience, and competitive advantage through end-to-end operations leadership and product lifecycle management. This position is onsite in Cisco’s Maynard, Massachusetts office. The engineer collaborates across design, process, test, assembly, quality, marketing, supply chain, and external manufacturing partners to develop and qualify manufacturing and test solutions. The role supports optical-electrical testing, risk reduction, industry-standard qualification, product builds, yield improvement, troubleshooting, manufacturing process development, and readiness for production. It also guides the transition of advanced optical designs into high-volume production, develops manufacturing metrics, and drives characterization and yield improvements to meet product specifications, cost goals, and equipment-capacity targets.

Requirements

Master’s or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a related engineering field.
At least 8 years of industry experience in product engineering or product development for high-volume production, focused on silicon photonics, optical transceivers, or opto-electronic packaging sub-assemblies.
Proven track record transitioning products from NPI to high-volume production through a contract manufacturer and/or OSAT partner.
Knowledge and experience applying DFM during development of Optical Engines, chip packaging, co-packaged optics, and wafer packaging.
Proficiency with statistical and analytical tools such as Python, JMP Scripting, and AI models for automated yield prediction and monitoring.
Experience with opto-electrical testing, failure analysis, PFMEA, and yield prediction, monitoring, and improvement.

Nice To Haves

Experience with active optical alignment, die attach, wire bonding, wafer packaging, or similar processes.
Experience developing chip-packaging assembly processes.
Experience with product development tasks such as bill of materials and change management.
Experience with optics and silicon photonics sub-assemblies.
Excellent communication, stakeholder-management, and problem-solving skills.
Strong written, verbal, and interpersonal skills, including experience presenting to senior leadership.

Responsibilities

Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams, including design, process, test, and assembly, in early discussions and provide feedback on design for manufacturability (DFM) and process failure mode and effects analysis (PFMEA).
Partner with quality teams to execute optical-electrical testing, de-risking, and industry-standard qualification processes.
Work with design, marketing, supply chain, quality, OSATs, and contract manufacturers to develop end-to-end manufacturing and test solutions, qualify products, and release them to production.
Improve yield, troubleshoot issues, and establish manufacturing readiness for alpha, beta, and pilot-stage product builds.
Participate early in new product introduction (NPI), focusing on manufacturing process development for optical transceivers or optical sub-assemblies.
Transition advanced optical designs into high-volume production; drive manufacturing readiness, characterization, and PFMEA.
Establish manufacturing metrics to continuously improve equipment performance and processes against Optical Engine product specifications.
Characterize yields for NPI and sustaining products, including benchmark correlations, to meet or exceed product cost and equipment-capacity targets.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
401(k) plan with Cisco matching contribution.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability coverage.
Basic life insurance.
Cisco restricted stock unit grants may be available, subject to eligibility and vesting conditions.
Paid holidays and a floating holiday for non-exempt employees.
Paid day off for an employee’s birthday.
Paid year-end holiday shutdown.
Paid personal wellness days.
Vacation time for non-exempt employees; exempt employees participate in a flexible vacation time-off program, subject to eligibility, availability, and business limitations.
Sick time off, with unused sick time carryforward subject to the stated limits.
Additional paid time away may be requested for critical or emergency family issues.
Optional paid volunteer days.
Annual bonuses may be available to employees in non-sales roles, subject to Cisco policies.