Photonic Test Engineer

The application window is expected to close on: 12/14/2026

This is an onsite role and will require working out of our Carlsbad, CA office location.

Meet the Team The Silicon One team creates innovative hardware platforms central to the AI era, powering Cisco’s core Switching, Routing, and Wireless products for organizations globally. Our innovations in silicon, optics, and hardware platforms are shaping the technology industry. We're a global team of creative experts, bringing our unique backgrounds and bold ideas to push boundaries and help each other grow.

Because full product development—from design to qualification to production—is within our team, we’re able to think differently, experiment more, and work quickly. Join us to power the future of the digital world.

Your Impact As a Photonic Test Engineer in our Optics group, you will play a critical role in developing/supporting the next generation component and packaging platform for Cisco's Silicon Photonics Integrated Circuits and chipsets. As a key member of the platform development team that is responsible for developing photonic components, tools and processes, you’ll devise, develop and execute engineering-test processes supporting novel optical components to be used in Cisco’s silicon photonics product offerings.

Engineered Testing & Failure Analysis:
Devise, build, and execute engineering tests and complex failure analysis on optical components and assemblies for Cisco’s silicon photonics co-packaged optics platform, resolving issues via structured problem-solving methodologies.

Process Automation & Optimization:
Recommend and implement continuous improvements in testing, assembly, and packaging processes, driving cycle time reduction and system automation to minimize manual operator intervention.

Diagnostics & Platform Lifecycle Management:
Support specialized testing and leverage AI/ML data analytics for proactive problem detection, validating new components, tools, and processes from early development through production integration.

Cross-Functional & Global Execution:
Partner with cross-functional hardware, software, and manufacturing teams to execute project plans with high velocity, quality, and predictability, traveling as needed to ensure global product deployment.

Minimum Qualifications Bachelors + 7 years of related experience, or Masters + 4 years of related experience, or PhD + 1 year of related experience.

Experience with photonic test

Preferred Qualifications C# and SQL skills highly desired

Experience in hardware/software automation of photonics assembly/test.

Data analysis (SQL/JMP) in a semiconductor production environment

Knowledge of photonics, fiber optics and semiconductor lasers

Ability to travel internationally occasionally

Why Cisco? At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint.

Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere.

We are Cisco, and our power starts with you. Message to applicants applying to work in the U.S. and/or Canada:

The starting salary range posted for this position is $ to $ and reflects the projected salary…