Senior Optical System Test Engineer

Company Description

Arista Networks is an industry leader in data-driven, client-to-cloud networking for large data center, campus and routing environments. What sets us apart is our relentless pursuit of innovation. We leverage the latest advancements in cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and software-defined networking to provide our clients with a competitive edge in an increasingly interconnected world. Our solutions are designed to not only meet the current demands of the digital landscape but to also anticipate and adapt to future challenges.

At Arista we value the diversity of thought and perspectives that each employee brings to the table. We believe that fostering an inclusive environment, where individuals from various backgrounds and experiences feel welcome, is essential for driving creativity and innovation.

Our commitment to excellence has earned us several prestigious awards, such as Best Engineering Team, Best Company for Diversity, Compensation, and Work-Life Balance. At Arista, we take pride in our track record of success and strive to maintain the highest standards of quality and performance in everything we do.

Job Description

We are seeking a highly skilled and motivated Senior Optical System Test Engineer to join our hardware engineering team. In this role, you will be responsible for the design, development, and execution of test and validation plans for advanced optical sub-systems, including PICs, linear drivers, linear TIAs, and DSPs, supporting next-generation high-speed optical transceivers and photonic systems. This role is critical in bridging the gap between R&D and productization, ensuring that our optical components and sub-systems meet the highest standards of performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute test plans for validating the performance and functionality of:

  • Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs)

  • High-speed optical drivers

  • Transimpedance Amplifiers (TIAs)

  • DSPs

• Characterize optical and electrical performance metrics such as insertion loss, extinction ratio, jitter, gain, bandwidth, and SNR.
• Set up and automate optical/electrical test stations using high-speed instrumentation and scripting tools (Python, LabVIEW, MATLAB, etc.).
• Work with cross-functional teams (photonic design, analog/RF design, packaging, firmware) to define test requirements and optimize test coverage.
• Conduct stress, reliability, and environmental testing (temperature cycling, aging, vibration) for optical components and assemblies.
• Perform high-speed eye diagram analysis, TDECQ, RIN, and receiver sensitivity testing.
• Develop automation frameworks for regression testing and continuous validation in both lab and production environments.
• Analyze test results and generate detailed reports to support design reviews and product qualification.
• Support failure analysis and root cause investigations during design validation and product ramp-up phases.
• Collaborate with manufacturing teams to transfer test procedures and support volume production test development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a closely related field.
• Minimum of 3 years of hands-on experience in optical system or component-level testing.

• Direct experience in testing and characterizing:

  • PICs (e.g., SOI, InP, or SiN platforms)

  • Optical driver ICs

  • Transimpedance Amplifiers (TIAs)

• Strong familiarity with optical communication principles, including NRZ/PAM4 modulation, dispersion, OSNR, and jitter.

• Proficiency with lab instrumentation, including:

  • Optical Spectrum Analyzer (OSA)

  • BERT, DCA, high-speed oscilloscopes

  • Tunable lasers, power meters, VOA

  • Network analyzers and probes for high-speed electrical testing

• Experience with scripting and test automation using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or similar.
• Understanding of industry standards such as IEEE 802.3, QSFP-DD, OSFP, and CMIS.
• Strong analytical skills and ability to work independently to troubleshoot and resolve technical issues.
• Excellent documentation and communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s or Ph.D. in Optical or Electrical Engineering.

• Experience with:

  • Silicon photonics-based PICs

  • Coherent optical systems

  • DSP-based transceivers

• • High-speed transceiver testing at 100G, 400G, 800G, or 1.6T

• Knowledge of DSP tuning (FIR filters, DFE, CTLE) and eye diagram optimization.
• Familiarity with simulation tools such as ADS, HFSS, Lumerical, or COMSOL.
• Experience in component-level reliability testing and qualification protocols.
• Exposure to high-volume production test environments and test data analytics platforms.

Compensation Information

The new hire base pay for this role has a salary range of $140,000 to $198,000. Arista offers different pay ranges based on work location, so that we can offer consistent and competitive pay appropriate to the market. The actual base pay offered will be based on a wide range of factors, including skills, qualifications, relevant experience, and work location. The pay range provided reflects base pay only and in addition certain roles may also be eligible for discretionary Arista bonuses and equity. Employees in Sales roles are eligible to participate in Arista’s Sales Incentive Plan, which pays commissions calculated as a percentage of eligible sales. US-based employees are also entitled to benefits including medical, dental, vision, wellbeing, tax savings and income protection. The recruiting team can share more details during the hiring process specific to the role and location.

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Additional Information

Arista Networks is an equal opportunity employer. Arista makes all hiring and employment-related decisions in a non-discriminatory manner without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin or any other factor determined to be unlawful under applicable federal, state, or law law. All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.