Senior Test Engineer

Viavi Solutions • Indianapolis, IN

6d • Onsite

About The Position

VIAVI Solutions is seeking a Senior Test Engineer to join the founding members of a new Operations Engineering NPI team in Indianapolis. This role is chartered with bringing VIAVI's next generation of fiber optic test instruments from R&D into volume manufacturing. This is a hands-on NPI and manufacturing test engineering role focused on optical instrument automation, rack-and-stack system design, and code development, working in close partnership with R&D in Indianapolis and VIAVI's prime fiber optic design center in St. Etienne, France. This position is a factory automation and manufacturing test engineering role, not a field service, customer-facing applications engineering, or product management position.

Requirements

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, Optics, or a related technical field.
• 5+ Years in Automated Test Engineering: Experience developing hardware/software test solutions for manufacturing.
• Bench Instrumentation Proficiency: Expert ability to remotely control optical test instrumentation (optical power meters, tunable laser sources, optical spectrum analyzers, optical switches, reference-grade OTDR modules) via code (GPIB, USB, LAN, SCPI).
• Coding Proficiency: Strong skills in Python, C++, or C# for instrument control and data parsing.
• Fiber Optic Fundamentals: Deep understanding of fiber optic principles — insertion loss, return loss, OTDR trace interpretation (events, reflections, dead zones), single-mode vs. multimode behavior, and connector types and end-face geometry.
• Statistical Analysis: Experience applying Measurement Uncertainty and Process Capability (Cpk).
• Demonstrated leadership and self-motivation; effective cross-functional collaborator who can fully represent test engineering on a distributed, multi-site product development team.

Nice To Haves

• NI TestStand Development: Experience creating custom steps or process models.
• Averna Launch Experience: Familiarity with the Averna test executive wrapper (training provided).
• Fiber Connector Inspection & Cleaning: Familiarity with industry standard pass/fail criteria and related inspection practices.
• Laser Safety: Familiarity with Class 1M/3B laser safety practices in a manufacturing environment.
• WDM Test Exposure: Background with CWDM/DWDM fiber test or multiplexed optical systems.
• SQL database programming for test record storage, retrieval, and data management.
• Use of AI tools for test code development, optimization, or data analysis.
• Experience collaborating with an international R&D team across time zones.

Responsibilities

• Architect Production Test Systems: Design, build, and deploy automated test racks for New Product Introduction (NPI) and legacy fiber instrument manufacturing (OTDR modules, handheld testers, optical power meters and sources).
• Instrument Control: Write robust drivers and test sequences in Python, C++, or NI TestStand to control optical power meters, tunable laser sources, optical switches, variable optical attenuators (VOAs), and reference-grade OTDR modules.
• Complex Optical Analysis: Develop algorithms to measure optical parameters (insertion loss, return loss, dynamic range, dead zone, pulse width, wavelength accuracy, linearity) for fiber optic test instruments.
• Statistical Quality Control: Implement Gauge R&R, Cpk, and Measurement Uncertainty analysis.
• Design for Test (DfT): Partner with R&D in Indianapolis and the prime fiber optic design center in St. Etienne, France to ensure new products are designed for automated test access.
• Project Planning: Drive detailed planning to ensure all test solutions are developed, documented, debugged, deployed, and validated prior to production pilot run.
• Fixture Development: Partner with R&D and the Senior Manufacturing Engineer to develop contract manufacturing-ready test systems, fixtures, and optical launch/connectorization jigs.
• Process Optimization: Optimize calibration and test processes for coverage, cycle time, and test stand capacity.
• System Deployment: Install and validate production systems at the Indianapolis facility and contract manufacturing sites.
• Lifecycle Maintenance: Maintain and update existing production test processes throughout the product lifecycle.
• Documentation: Produce written documentation including test specifications, procedures, installation instructions, interconnect diagrams, and preventive maintenance guides.
• Cross-Functional Communication: Communicate effectively with stakeholders including R&D (Indianapolis and St. Etienne), Product Line Management (PLM), Program Management, Manufacturing Engineering, and contract manufacturing partners — including comfortable collaboration across time zones with the France design team.
• Team Leadership: As a founding member of a new team, help establish team norms and practices in addition to individual technical delivery; actively engage with the team and management by reporting status against commitments and demonstrating self-directed initiative and leadership.

Benefits

• Full training on Averna Launch Certification standard test executive wrapper.
• Unlimited NI Training: Access to National Instruments modules to elevate TestStand skills to Architect level.
• Advanced Photonics Lab Access: Direct access to tunable laser sources, high-precision OTDR reference modules, and optical spectrum analysis instrumentation.

What This Job Offers

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