Photonic Packaging Engineer

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The application window will close on 1/30/2026. This onsite role requires working out of our Carlsbad, CA office.

As a Photonic Packaging Engineer, you will play a key role in developing and supporting the next generation packaging platform for Cisco's Silicon Photonics Integrated Circuits and chipsets. You’ll work as a member of the platform development team responsible for creating critical optical components, processes, and tools.

Design, Develop and Support

• Provide engineering support for Cisco’s internally developed photonic assembly packaging tools.
• Gather and analyze data from Cisco’s automated packaging tools/processes to shape new projects targeting improvement in novel subassemblies used in Cisco-designed high-volume manufacturing platforms.
• Recommend and implement test/assembly/process improvements, including cycle time reduction and automation to minimize required operator time and intervention.
• Design, build, and test prototypes of critical, complex electromechanical assemblies to be used in automated manufacturing/test tools.

Diagnostics Development & Lifecycle Management

• Follow new tools, processes, and components from development to production to ensure successful integration of new platform technologies.
• Apply analytics and AI/ML to stimulate edge cases, optimize strategies, improve coverage, usability, debug capabilities and problem detection using structured problem‑solving methodologies.

Collaboration & Team Development

• Partner with hardware, software, and manufacturing teams to ensure multi‑functional alignment and successful transition to manufacturing.
• Develop and execute project plans with predictability, quality, and velocity.
• Collaborate and travel to assure successful product deployment across a global environment.
• Mentor and develop high‑performing teams, emphasizing continuous learning in diagnostics, data engineering, advanced analytics, and effective use of AI‑assisted development tools.

• Bachelor’s + 7 years of related experience, or Master’s + 4 years, or PhD + 1 year.
• Hardware/process automation experience.

• Experience in hardware/software automation of photonics assembly/test.
• Experience with machine vision in an automation environment.
• Data analysis (SQL/JMP) in a semiconductor production environment.
• Software development using C# on .NET.
• Knowledge of photonics, fiber optics and semiconductor lasers.

Starting salary range: $ to $ (U.S./Canada). Additional benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401(k) with matching, paid parental leave, disability coverage, life insurance, and Cisco stock units.

U.S. employees are eligible for paid time off: 10 paid holidays, 1 floating holiday, birthday day off, and 4 wellness days; 16 days of paid vacation (non‑exempt); flexible vacation for exempt employees; 80 hours of sick time per year, among others.

Mid‑Senior level

Full‑time

Engineering and Information Technology, Software Development