Process Engineer

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.

Ciena’s Optical NPI team is looking for an experienced and dynamic Process Engineer to help deliver complex optical products from design through prototyping and into manufacturing.

As a Process Engineer at Ciena, you will play a critical role in defining and optimizing manufacturing processes for high-quality, high-volume optical products. You will work closely with cross-functional teams, including R&D, New Product Introduction (NPI), and Operations to ensure seamless product transitions from design to production. Your expertise will drive process development, yield improvements, cost reductions, and quality assurance while supporting production engineering activities.

• Process Development:

  • Lead process development and optimization for optical product manufacturing.

  • Collaborate with R&D and Operations teams to define manufacturing requirements and assembly specifications.

  • Develop and document processes, tools, and workflows to enable smooth product transitions into production.

  • Drive process automation and create automation tools

• Manufacturing Support:

  • Transition designs into Contract Manufacturers (CMs) and provide on-site support for training, quality, and delivery.

  • Continuously monitor manufacturing yield and product performance to meet business objectives.

  • Debug manufacturing and performance issues to improve yield and efficiency.

• Quality Assurance:

  • Review and provide input on DFM (Design for Manufacturability) and DFMEA (Design Failure Mode and Effects Analysis) documents to improve design for production.

  • Support sustaining activities for products in production, including PFMEA (Process Failure Mode and Effects Analysis), yield improvement, and cost reduction initiatives.

• Cross-functional Collaboration:

  • Work with diverse teams across the globe in different time zones to drive results.

  • Interact with CMs and vendors to ensure alignment on processes, quality and delivery schedules.

Qualifications

The Must Haves:

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical, Electrical, Mechanical, Production Engineering, or equivalent.

• Minimum 5 years of experience in optical/electronics manufacturing or process engineering.

• Proven track record of launching complex optical/electronic products to market.

• Knowledge of fiber optic transmission and associated testing methodologies.

• Ability to create and manage automated processes, automation tools, data analysis tools, and key performance indicators (KPIs).

• Hands-on experience with fiber optic assembly, handling, and splicing.

• Strong problem-solving skills, including the ability to resolve technical issues under pressure.

• Effective written and oral communication skills.

• Ability to work with cross-functional teams and CMs globally, across different time zones.

Nice to Haves:

• Advanced degree in Optical/Electrical/Mechanical/Production Engineering or equivalent.

• Experience with specialty and ribbon fiber splicing.

• Prior experience with debugging complex optical assemblies.

• Familiarity with high-pressure environments and remote issue resolution.

• Strong organizational and project management skills.

• Experience working with multi-functional, multi-locational teams.

• Travel: This role requires travel (~10%) to support product transfers and ongoing production activities at Contract Manufacturers (CMs).

• Location: Ottawa, ON, Canada. On-site

The salary range for this role in Ottawa is $88.600 - $141,500

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…