Photonics Connectivity Solutions Sr Systems Engineer

Corning • California City, CA

92d • $123,497 - $169,810

About The Position

Corning is seeking a Photonics Connectivity Solutions Sr Systems Engineer to partner closely with customers and ecosystem collaborators to understand product challenges, develop system-level solutions, translate those solutions into product requirements, and support the design-in of Corning’s Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) portfolio. This role combines strong technical expertise in semiconductor manufacturing and photonic connectivity with a customer-focused mindset. As a key technical interface across R&D, program management, and business teams, the Senior Systems Engineer will help shape the future of AI infrastructure in hyperscale data centers. This is a highly visible role that requires systems-level thinking, technical credibility, and strong communication skills. The individual will guide customers from early architecture discussions through design-in, qualification, and serial production, while helping bridge internal engineering teams and external stakeholders to solve deployment challenges and inform Corning’s CPO roadmap.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Applied Science, or a related field
• 7+ years of experience in applications, systems, or product development, including meaningful time in a customer-facing technical role such as Systems Engineer, Applications Engineer, Scientist, or Solutions Architect
• Experience contributing to complex projects and working on cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, competitive environment
• Ability to engage frequently with customers at a technical level, understand needs, and communicate effective value propositions
• Ability to collaborate across functions and geographies to solve problems and develop solutions
• Ability to translate complex specifications and application requirements for internal and external stakeholders to support new product development or product changes
• Ability to influence and mobilize stakeholders within and outside the organization to meet objectives
• Ability to build trust and lead collaborative efforts across internal and external teams, including across multiple time zones

Nice To Haves

• Master's or Doctorate Degree in Engineering, Applied Science, or equivalent fields
• Work experience in PLM, Manufacturing, Systems Engineering, and/or Product Development in a fast-paced OEM context
• Systems-level knowledge of CPO architectures, including photonic engines, external laser sources (ELS/ELSFP), fiber attach, ASIC integration and advanced packaging
• Direct experience deploying CPO, NPO, LPO, or advanced pluggable optics in production or pre-production environments
• Familiarity with AI/ML fabric architectures (scale-up / scale-out), including GPU/XPU cluster designs and optical I/O requirements

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for strategic customers and ecosystem partners throughout the CPO product lifecycle, from early architecture discussions through design-in, qualification, and deployment
• Lead product and system ideation with customers and partners to address identified needs through differentiated product offerings
• Translate customer requirements into internal product specifications, ensuring alignment with Corning’s R&D and product development capabilities
• Conduct feasibility studies and develop initial design concepts for transfer to R&D
• Build and maintain trusted relationships with technical counterparts across the CPO ecosystem
• Develop a strong understanding of customer applications, the systems in which they operate, and the role of Corning solutions within those environments
• Lead technical deep-dive sessions, architecture workshops, and design reviews with customer engineering teams, including hyperscaler network architects and ASIC/platform engineers
• Collaborate with ASIC partners, packaging houses, laser vendors, connector suppliers, and hardware providers to build understanding of next-generation requirements
• Serve as the voice of the customer within Corning, driving clarity of requirements, feature prioritization, and responsiveness to field feedback

Benefits

• Company-wide bonuses
• Long-term incentives
• 100% company-paid pension benefit with fixed contributions
• Matching contributions to your 401(k) savings plan
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Paid parental leave
• Family building support
• Fitness
• Company-paid life insurance
• Disability insurance
• Disease management programs
• Paid time off
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Recognition program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior