Senior Design Engineer – Optical & Transmission

Equinix is one of the fastest growing data center companies, growing connectivity between clients worldwide. That’s why we’re always looking for creative and ambitious people who can help us achieve our goal of global interconnection. With 240+ data centers in over 27 countries spanning across all six continents, we are home to the Cloud, supporting over 1000 Cloud and IT services companies that are directly engaged in technological innovation and development. We are passionate about further evolving the specific areas of software development, software and network architecture, network operations and sophisticated cloud and application solutions.

At Equinix, we make the internet work faster, better, and more effectively. We hire dedicated people who thrive with solving hard problems and give them opportunities to hone new skills, try innovative ways, and grow in new directions. Our culture is at the heart of our success and it’s our authentic, low ego, dedicated people who build The Magic of Equinix. We share a real passion for winning and put the customer at the center of everything we do.

Equinix high-capacity next generation optical DWDM network infrastructure interconnects global Equinix data centers at metro and regional long-haul level. This data center optical interconnection networks infrastructure includes high-capacity multi-vendor optical networks with service automation for provisioning This infrastructure serves as backbone for Equinix packet and cloud interconnection services as well as provide optical transport services to external customers. Equinix’s 240+ global data centers (known as Internet Business Exchanges TM or IBXTMs) provide space, power, network interconnections and edge services (Equinix Metal, Network Edge, Equinix Precision Time etc.) for Equinix customers.

The Global Network Architecture, Engineering and Design (GNAED) organization at Equinix is seeking a top-tier Principal Network Engineer to design and optimize Equinix global optical DWDM technology for global network built over the past decade as well as greenfield networks for organic growth from new M&A integrations. Optical team of the GNAED has built and maintains all deployed network configurations in the state-of-the-art labs in San Jose and Miami.

The ideal candidate would have extensive experience with design and optimization for all types of advanced photonic line systems (such as Ciena RLS/6500, Infinera FlexILS etc.), high baud rate transponders (100Gb/s DWDM to 800Gb/s DWDM going to 1.6 Tb/s DWDM in 2023/2024) as part of optical Data Center Interconnect (DCI) layer including clients (for 10G/100G/400G/FC/ODU-x services ) from different vendors into global service provider networks.

Responsibilities

Optical network design and optimization to improve capacity which will involve photonic domain design, transponder allocation, optical spectrum balancing, dark fiber analysis and network modeling. Works with the Network Architecture and engineering teams to translate network architectures into metro/regional long-haul level designs/configurations and high level BOM for global networks (all six continents).

Works collaboratively with the network architecture, network engineering, network implementation, service delivery and service management teams that span the globe

Performs optical DWDM network designs, design validation from FOC results, operationalize designs for implementation for 10G/100G/400G transport services for internal consumption as well as for MetroConnect service offerings to external customers

Optimizes/designs current brownfield networks (including spectrum defragmentation) with incremental designs/capacity adds and identifies and recommends changes for improvement of the recommended/accepted solution option after vetting various possible options with the multi-functional teams.

Participates in the development and /or builds solving guides and trains the NSE team on the platform and how to solve issues

Drives development of new features/improvement requests for vendor design tools (such as One Planner/Planner+ from Ciena) as well as build and/or maintain in house design tools/utilities

Builds high level implementation plans from designs and recommends migration procedures to support deployment execution and completion

Puts together design guidelines/templates and recommends migration procedures to support deployments

Responsible for developing high level MOPs that implement the design changes in the network platforms on as needed basis

Be the Authority to downstream teams to help them understand the design/optimization solution and assist their technical queries.

Supports new initiatives to automate optimization, design, and planning workflow processes

Qualifications

Must have confirmed experience in optical DWDM/ROADM transport network design and optimization @100G/200G/400G/800G DWDM preferably from any global optical system vendor like Ciena, Infinera, Cisco, Nokia etc. or a global service provider

Demonstrated ability in photonic line systems (fixed grid and flex grid ROADM, mux/demux, colorless mux, CD, CDC etc.) including spectrum optimization/defragmentation, fiber optic characterization (FOC) and optimizing of transport network performance (including alien waves) with 100G/200G/400G/600G/800G transponders on various line systems for point to point, ring, and mesh network topologies

Design and optimization experience with grooming various clients and services like 10GE/100GE/400GE/FC/ODU-x etc. into high bit rate transponders on optical DCIs along with familiarity of 400GE ZR/ZR+ coherent optical plug technology is preferred

Knowledge of outside plant dark fiber including fiber types and loss/system design/performance limitations in data center or telecommunication networks

Excellent verbal and written communications skills

Strong project management and interpersonal skills

BS in CS/EE or equivalent with MS/PhD preferred

Equinix is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability.