Software Engineering Intern

Internship Details

3‑12 month internship starting June
2027.

As the global leader in high‑speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people‑first approach. Our culture focuses on a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well‑being, and belonging. Ciena is a technology company that leads with its humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact. We are seeking early‑career Software Engineers to work with our engineering team and help drive the development of the Service‑Aware Operating System (SAOS), to support customers in developing and deploying their virtualized networks.

• Develop embedded software on the Ciena NOS, which is a modified Linux operating system.
• Participate in all stages of software development – requirements analysis, architecture and high‑level design, implementation and testing.
• Troubleshoot software issues, provide customer and verification support.
• Design and develop unit tests and test‑automation suites.
• Engage with Product Owners and System Architects to evolve software applications, adopting new features and technologies without compromising performance.
• Influence the software architecture, improve resiliency, debuggability and maintainability.

• Excellent analytical, problem‑solving and programming skills (C, C++, Python).
• Excellent communication and technical documentation skills.
• Excellent organization skills to manage time, resources, and priorities.
• Familiarity with Linux development environment.
• Knowledge of network routers/switches or routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, etc.).
• Experience in open‑source software development or usage of Linux OS (ideally Debian), containers and Kubernetes.
• Experience with automated test frameworks such as Jenkins.
• Experience with design and development tools such as Atlassian (Bitbucket, Confluence, Jira), Eclipse, GDB, etc.
• Independent self‑starter capable of effectively managing priorities to achieve business objectives.
• Comfortable in a team environment while still taking accountability and working independently as needed.

At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination. Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status. If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.