Principal/Staff Software Engineer

As a Principal/Staff Software Engineer, you will be an advanced individual contributor responsible for owning complex technical domains and providing leadership within cross-functional teams. You will play a key role in building and scaling Optical DCI transport platforms that support the AI infrastructure super cycle, delivering ultra-high bandwidth, low-latency connectivity for distributed data centers and large-scale GPU/accelerator clusters. This involves working closely with hardware, optics, FPGA, and system teams to develop robust, scalable, and highly reliable transport solutions for optical line systems, ROADMs, high-capacity transponders, and related DCI platforms. Your Responsibilities: Own the design and implementation of complex embedded software and firmware components for Optical DCI transport systems supporting AI and hyperscale workloads. Execute across the full embedded software lifecycle, including requirements analysis, design, implementation, integration, verification, and system-level qualification. Design and develop real-time control, monitoring, and telemetry software for high-capacity optical transport, encompassing optics control, link management, fault handling, and performance monitoring. Translate AI infrastructure and DCI system requirements (bandwidth scaling, latency, resiliency, automation) into efficient, maintainable software designs within established architectures. Lead technical execution for a defined subsystem or feature area, ensuring delivery with high quality, performance, and reliability. Participate in hardware/software co-design, platform bring-up, and debugging complex system-level issues involving firmware, hardware, optics, and FPGA subsystems. Drive best practices through design reviews, code reviews, and technical guidance, raising the quality bar across the team. Must-Have: Strong hands-on experience developing embedded software and firmware in C/C++ on bare metal and/or RTOS-based platforms. Deep expertise in real-time embedded systems, including timing-critical execution, interrupt handling, control loops, and operation in resource-constrained environments. Solid domain knowledge of optical transport and Optical DCI technologies, particularly those supporting AI-scale bandwidth and latency requirements. In-depth understanding of OpenROADM and OpenConfig, including YANG-based data modeling and interfaces for optical device control, telemetry, and automation. Experience with ARM, PowerPC, Intel, or similar processor architectures, including low-level hardware interfaces, board bring-up, and interaction with FPGA/CPLD logic. Proven experience designing and integrating hardware interfaces and interprocessor communication mechanisms in multiprocessor systems. Strong systems-level thinking, with the ability to debug and resolve issues spanning firmware, hardware, and system behavior. Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to clearly articulate technical concepts and collaborate effectively across teams. Proficiency with modern development and collaboration tools, including Git, Jira, and Confluence. Education & Experience: 8–12 years of relevant industry experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Science, Technology, or Engineering, OR 6–10 years of relevant industry experience with a Master’s degree in Science, Technology, or Engineering. Nice-to-Have: Hands-on experience using AI-assisted development tools (e.g., Cursor, GitHub Copilot) to improve development efficiency, code quality, and execution velocity.