Principal Hardware Engineer

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Principal Hardware Engineer, Optical Module R&D – San Jose, US

It’s an exciting time to join Lumentum! Lumentum (NASDAQ: LITE) is a market-leading manufacturer of innovative optical and photonic products enabling optical networking and commercial laser customers worldwide. Lumentum’s optical components and subsystems are part of virtually every type of telecom, enterprise, and data center network. Lumentum’s commercial lasers enable advanced manufacturing techniques and diverse applications, including next-generation 3D sensing capabilities. Lumentum is headquartered in San Jose, California, with R&D, manufacturing, and sales offices worldwide. For more information, visit www.lumentum.com.

We believe Lumentum is a great place to work and we support a diverse and inclusive culture where employees bring their whole and authentic selves to work. We strive to build meaningful connections that fuel innovation to produce products that impact the world. We are committed to creating a diverse and welcoming workplace that includes employees with diverse backgrounds and experiences. We believe that enables us to better meet our mission and values while serving customers throughout our global communities. People of color, women, LGBTQIA+, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.

Overview

Our Cloud and Networking Optical Module R&D team is a world-class group of international engineers dedicated to designing and developing advanced optical transceivers and related technologies. We focus on delivering high-performance, energy-efficient, and cost-effective solutions that propel cutting-edge telecom and data center applications. As a Principal Hardware Engineer, you will be recognized as a subject-matter expert (SME) in hardware design, opto-electronic packaging, and materials science. You will mentor and guide technical leads as well as junior team members, ensuring that next-generation products are delivered on time and at the highest standards of quality. This is an engineer position based in San Jose, US.

Key Responsibilities

• Subject-Matter Expertise in Hardware Design:
  • Serve as a recognized SME in optical transceiver hardware design and development with a deep understanding of hardware theory and its application to real-world challenges.
  • Provide high-level guidance and mentorship to cross-functional teams, ensuring best practices are consistently implemented.
• Opto-Electronic Package Leadership:
  • Act as a go-to expert on cost-effective opto-electronic packaging, component design, and integration strategies that meet or exceed performance and cost objectives.
  • Offer strategic input on complex packaging challenges and lead high-impact initiatives to optimize product reliability, manufacturability, and budgetary constraints.
• Standards & Compliance Authority:
  • Demonstrate expert knowledge of design specifications, compliance requirements, and qualification standards (e.g., Telcordia).
  • Provide guidance to technical leads for testing and analysis of complex hardware systems, ensuring product designs align with industry and regulatory standards.
• Advanced Materials Science Expertise:
  • Recognized as a SME in materials science, applying a deep understanding of material properties and behaviors to resolve complex hardware development issues.
  • Provide expert-level advice on material selection, testing, and analysis methodologies to support robust and reliable hardware solutions.
• Hardware Testing & Troubleshooting:
  • Lead the planning and execution of advanced testing and analysis on complex hardware systems and components, diagnosing issues swiftly and implementing innovative solutions.
  • Oversee continuous improvement initiatives, driving new test methodologies that elevate product performance and reliability.
• High-Speed Circuit & PCB Design:
  • Continue to own and innovate on PCB design, focusing on high power efficiency, low noise, small footprints, and seamless integration with high-speed components (e.g., DSPs, drivers, TIAs).
  • Collaborate closely with CAD engineers and cross-functional teams to ensure holistic design approaches.
• Cross-Functional & Global Collaboration:
  • Provide technical leadership for cross-disciplinary projects involving firmware, test, materials, and manufacturing engineers, championing effective communication and alignment.
  • Partner with global teams (US, Europe, Asia) to share expertise, drive continuous innovation, and deliver industry-leading products.

Minimum Qualifications

• Education:
  • BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Materials Science, or a related field.
• Proven Industry Expertise:
  • Extensive background in designing high-speed electronic or optical systems, with a demonstrable track record of successful product releases and significant design ownership.
• Subject-Matter Expertise:
  • Recognized SME in hardware design, with deep theoretical knowledge and practical problem-solving skills.
  • Advanced understanding of industry standards (e.g., Telcordia) and best practices for product qualification.
• Technical Depth:
  • Proficiency with high-speed integrated circuits (e.g., DSPs, drivers, TIAs) and test equipment (oscilloscopes, network analyzers, DCA, etc.).
  • Strong scripting ability (Python or similar) for automation and data analysis.
• Leadership & Mentorship:
  • Demonstrated success in leading and mentoring technical teams, particularly in a fast-paced, global R&D environment.
  • Excellent problem-solving, communication, and collaboration skills.

Desired Qualifications

• Innovation Mindset:
  • Proven ability to innovate and elevate testing and analysis methodologies that enhance performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Multi-Disciplinary Approach:
  • Background bridging optical, mechanical, electrical, and materials science disciplines, fostering synergy across multiple technical areas.
• Strategic Influence:
  • Experience providing high-level guidance to technical leads and steering cross-functional projects to align with broader organizational goals.
• Continuous Improvement:
  • History of championing process improvements and implementing effective solutions to drive down costs and speed up development cycles.
• Global Mindset:
  • Comfortable operating in a globally distributed environment, effectively collaborating with teams across multiple time zones and cultures.

Additional Information

All offers of employment are subject to background checks, appropriate work authorizations, and—depending on country—drug screens may be required prior to the start date.

As a global employer, Lumentum is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and an affirmative action employer. Protected categories differ from jurisdiction to jurisdiction but may include race, ethnic origin, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, or Veteran status.

Pay Range:

Disclaimer:

Final base salary for the successful candidate will depend on multiple factors, including but not limited to, job location, where work will be performed, qualifications, work history and relevant experience. With our continual goal of making Lumentum a best place to work for our employees, we strive to offer employees competitive total compensation packages, which may include annual bonus, commission for certain sales roles, equity, and health and welfare benefits.