Manager, Design Engineering - Optical

<h3>Accountabilities</h3><li>Lead, mentor, and develop a team of Optical Design Engineers, ensuring high-quality engineering deliverables, effective workload management, and achievement of monthly, quarterly, and annual performance targets.</li><li>Oversee the planning, design, documentation, capacity fulfillment, and implementation of DWDM optical networks throughout the United States and Canada.</li><li>Direct the design and delivery of optical transport services, including network builds, capacity augmentations, network grooming, and core circuit implementations.</li><li>Ensure network designs comply with established architecture standards, optical power requirements, signal flow specifications, and anticipated network and customer growth.</li><li>Manage engineering priorities and customer commitments by tracking project milestones, deadlines, and order progress within Salesforce or equivalent systems.</li><li>Communicate project updates, delivery risks, and technical issues to order management teams, project managers, and other internal stakeholders to support timely execution.</li><li>Collaborate with Project Managers, Design Engineers, Implementation Engineers, and Network Architects to resolve technical challenges and maintain progress on capacity projects.</li><li>Review capacity requests for technical accuracy and completeness, clarify design requirements with the relevant teams, and ensure circuit designs meet identified transport and facility requirements.</li><li>Support field operations in troubleshooting provisioning issues by reviewing technical information, identifying potential problems, and coordinating effective resolutions.</li><li>Assist partner teams and network control or coordination centers with customer escalations, network incidents, and other operational challenges as required.</li><li>Develop, maintain, and improve engineering standards, procedures, and workflows to promote consistency, efficiency, and high-quality network design.</li><li>Identify critical issues, overcome project roadblocks, and reprioritize workloads as needed to meet strict delivery schedules and evolving business requirements.</li><li>Establish cross-training initiatives, identify team development needs, and provide technical guidance and training to strengthen engineering capabilities.</li><li>Participate in operational and engineering improvement projects, remain informed about emerging optical technologies, and support the adoption of effective network solutions.</li><li>Maintain the confidentiality and security of sensitive information accessed while performing job responsibilities.</li><h2>Requirements</h2><li>Bachelor's degree in a technical discipline or equivalent education, training, and relevant professional experience.</li><li>At least seven years of experience in telecommunications, optical networking, or data networking environments.</li><li>At least two years of experience in telecommunications project management or as a lead engineer, with demonstrated technical leadership and project delivery capabilities.</li><li>Strong technical knowledge of DWDM optical networks, including signal flow, optical power requirements, network capacity planning, circuit design, network builds, augmentations, and grooming.</li><li>Working knowledge of optical system design across fixed-grid and flex-grid networks, including Reconfigurable Optical Add-Drop Multiplexer (ROADM) technology and spectrum allocation.</li><li>Familiarity with a range of optical networking platforms, preferably including Fujitsu, Adva, Ciena 6500 and RLS, Cisco, Infinera DTNx and FlexILS, and Nokia 1830.</li><li>Experience with network design, capacity planning, and circuit implementation, with the ability to interpret technical requirements and develop solutions aligned with network architecture standards.</li><li>Proficiency with project tracking, order management, and workflow tools such as Salesforce, ServiceNow, and Sitetracker, or equivalent platforms.</li><li>Familiarity with telecommunications inventory management systems, such as MetaSolv or Netcracker, is an advantage.</li><li>Strong proficiency with Microsoft Office or Google Workspace applications, particularly Visio and Excel or their equivalents, as well as relevant project management software.</li><li>Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to gather and interpret technical data, identify root causes, evaluate alternatives, and develop sound engineering solutions.</li><li>Proven ability to lead teams, coordinate cross-functional projects, and manage multiple competing priorities while meeting strict and sometimes unpredictable deadlines.</li><li>Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain technical issues clearly, provide project updates, and resolve customer or stakeholder conflicts professionally.</li><li>Demonstrated initiative, accountability, organizational skills, and adaptability in a dynamic operational environment.</li><li>Ability to work collaboratively with internal customers, engineering teams, project managers, and field operations while maintaining a strong focus on service quality and delivery commitments.</li><li>Must be authorized to work in the United States without current or future employment-based visa sponsorship.</li><h2>Benefits</h2><li>
<strong>Competitive annual base salary:</strong>Estimated range of $84,900 to $130,600, depending on geographic location, experience, technical skills, certifications, and other relevant factors.</li><li>
<strong>Performance incentives:</strong>Potential eligibility for a discretionary annual incentive plan, subject to applicable program terms.</li><li>
<strong>Health insurance:</strong>Comprehensive medical coverage options designed to support employee health and well-being.</li><li>
<strong>Dental and vision coverage:</strong>Insurance benefits to help cover dental care and vision needs.</li><li>
<strong>Retirement savings:</strong>Access to a 401(k) retirement savings plan.</li><li>
<strong>Paid time off:</strong>A generous paid leave policy to support personal commitments and work-life balance.</li><li>
<strong>Paid parental leave:</strong>Support for employees and their families during important life events.</li><li>
<strong>Disability and life insurance:</strong>Potential access to disability coverage and life insurance benefits, subject to applicable plan terms.</li><li>
<strong>Remote work arrangement:</strong>U.S.-based remote position offering flexibility while collaborating with teams across multiple locations.</li><li>
<strong>Technical leadership opportunities:</strong>The chance to lead a specialized engineering team and influence the design and implementation of large-scale optical network infrastructure.</li><li>
<strong>Professional development:</strong>Opportunities to expand technical expertise, develop leadership capabilities, and stay current with evolving telecommunications technologies.</li><li>
<strong>Collaborative work environment:</strong>Work alongside engineering, operations, and project management professionals on mission-critical connectivity solutions.</li>