Optical Networking Engineer

Location: Gardena, CA Mesh Optical Technologies was founded on the belief that optical photons will be at the center of advanced technologies in the coming century. Making advanced technology ubiquitous means building at scale, and that's exactly what we're doing at Mesh. We're seeking an Optical Networking Engineer to lead the network-level design of our optical interconnect solutions — trading network architectures, evaluating routing and switching hardware, and engineering signal performance across customer fabrics, then carrying those designs through validation and deployment. This is a role for an engineer who can reason from the topology down to the link, weigh hardware trade-offs across switch, NIC, and optical platforms, and translate a design into the documentation that makes it deployable at scale. Responsibilities Trade and evaluate network architectures and interconnect topologies to guide how Mesh optical hardware is designed into and optimized across customer networks Design end-to-end optical interconnect solutions at the network level, specifying transceivers, fiber plant, cabling, and link configurations to meet reach, bandwidth, latency, and performance targets Conduct routing and switching hardware trade studies, evaluating switch, router, and NIC platforms across radix, port speed, and fabric scaling to inform interconnect design decisions Own network-level signal and optical performance, including link budgets, modulation-format trade-offs (NRZ, PAM4), BER/OSNR/OMA, receiver sensitivity, and FEC margin across the deployed link Model and analyze link and channel performance to predict behavior across topologies and operating conditions, and use those results to drive design and deployment choices Develop comprehensive deployment documentation — interconnect design guides, commissioning checklists, integration and application notes, and field service procedures that enable repeatable, high-quality deployments as the customer base scales Define and execute characterization, interoperability, and qualification test plans validating optical link performance within Ethernet, InfiniBand, and other high-speed interconnect architectures, including switch and NIC platforms from major vendors Lead bring-up, link validation, and acceptance testing of Mesh optical hardware in the lab and on-site within customer network environments Diagnose and resolve hardware, firmware, software, and link-level issues across optical, electrical, and firmware boundaries, including optical power and signal-quality troubleshooting, module register debug, host interface bring-up, and system-level fault isolation Support module management interface bring-up and debug, including CMIS configuration, diagnostics page interpretation, and firmware update workflows Support pre-deployment site readiness assessments, including review of customer network topology, infrastructure requirements, and interface specifications Capture field issues, failure modes, and customer feedback with sufficient technical detail to enable root-cause investigation, and feed lessons learned back into design and process improvements Develop diagnostic tools, scripts, and utilities that accelerate troubleshooting and reduce time-to-resolution Collaborate with optical, electrical, firmware, and manufacturing teams to drive resolution of field-discovered issues and feed learnings into product and process improvements Support product qualification, early field trials, and interoperability testing for new products Qualifications Bachelor's or Master's degree in electrical engineering, optical engineering, photonics, computer engineering, computer science, or a related discipline 2+ years of experience in optical networking, network or interconnect design, system integration, test, or a closely related hands-on role Working knowledge of network architectures and high-speed interconnect fabrics, including topology trade-offs and scaling considerations across Ethernet, InfiniBand, and other high-speed protocols Working knowledge of optical networking and link design fundamentals, including transceiver operation, link budgets, modulation formats (NRZ, PAM4), and common optical performance metrics (BER, OSNR, OMA, receiver sensitivity) Familiarity with routing and switching hardware — switches, routers, and NICs — and how radix, port speed, and fabric design affect interconnect choices Familiarity with optical module management interfaces and standards, including CMIS and associated diagnostic and configuration workflows Software and scripting proficiency sufficient to model link performance, write diagnostic tools, parse logs, automate test sequences, and interface with hardware Strong lab and debugging skills, including comfort with instrumentation (oscilloscopes, optical power meters, BERTs, optical spectrum analyzers) and the ability to trace issues across optical, electrical, and firmware boundaries Ability to develop clear, repeatable technical documentation that enables deployment at scale Demonstrated ability to work independently in unstructured environments, triage problems under time pressure, and drive issues to resolution with limited resources Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to document technical issues clearly and communicate effectively with both engineering peers and customer network operations teams Willingness to travel for deployments and field trials (estimated 25%), with occasional extended hours as deployments require Preferred Experience Experience designing data center or HPC network fabrics, including topology trade studies and fabric scaling analysis Experience conducting hardware trade studies across switch, router, NIC, and optical platforms Experience with link-budget modeling, channel modeling, or optical/RF simulation tools Familiarity with PAM4 DSP, FEC, and signal-integrity considerations at high data rates Experience designing or characterizing optical transceivers, optical engines, or optical interconnects Deep familiarity with pluggable optical module standards and form factors Experience with CMIS implementation, module firmware development or debug, and diagnostic monitoring (DDM/DOM) Experience validating optical transceiver interoperability across switch, NIC, and host platforms from major vendors Familiarity with data center network topologies, fabric architectures, and high-radix switch deployments Experience with embedded systems debug, including firmware flashing and serial console troubleshooting (JTAG, UART, I2C, SPI) Experience with optical test equipment and methods, including tunable lasers, optical spectrum analyzers, receiver sensitivity testing, and OTDRs for fiber plant characterization Familiarity with relevant IEEE and OIF standards (e.g., 802.3, OIF CEI, CAUI) Experience with Linux system administration, command-line troubleshooting, and network configuration and diagnostics Experience in a field engineering, field applications, or customer-facing technical role supporting optical networking hardware Compensation and Benefits Pay range — Optical Networking Engineer: $110,000.00 – $160,000.00 per year Title and base salary are determined on a case-by-case basis commensurate with experience and merit. In addition to base salary, compensation for this role includes: Eligibility for long-term incentives including company stock options and discretionary bonuses awarded for exceptional achievements Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance with significant cost covered by the company for yourself and dependents Paid parental leave and flexible PTO (3 weeks accrued vacation and 10 company holidays per year) 401(k) retirement plan access Relocation assistance to sunny Los Angeles

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