Embedded Software Engineer – Co-op (Fall 2026 - 4-16 Months)

Ciena is committed to our people-first philosophy. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a personalized and flexible work environment that empowers an individual’s passions, growth, wellbeing and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
The Opportunity:
Work term of 4, 8, 12 or 16 months starting in September 2026
How You Will Contribute:
We design, implement, and maintain real-time embedded platform and application software for several of Ciena’s flagship products. Functional areas in our scope range from low level bit flipping drivers to high level software state machines for interfacing with external applications:
Linux and VxWorks kernels and base software components
Drivers for proprietary and 3rd party ASICs, FPGAs, and other hardware components.
Hardware/software interface to provide bridging of various abstraction layers.
Fault and alarms subsystems to detect, report and maintain defects and manage their hysteresis and co-relations.
System applications such as traffic/equipment protection, performance monitoring, etc.
SDKs that abstract the underlying low-level software and hardware to facility platform application developments and integration.
Must Haves:
Enrolled in a bachelor’s or master's degree in computer or electrical engineering, computer science, or similar disciplines
Experience with C or C++
Assets:
Developing software for embedded systems or telecom products
Understanding of CPU hardware architectures, hardware functional specifications, hardware timing diagrams, device data sheets
Understanding of real-time operating systems and embedded systems
Software development tools such as git, BitBucket, Gerrit, Jira, etc.
Unit test frameworks such as Google Test, JUnit, Robot, PyTest, and the like
Debuggers and tools (e.g., gdb), especially for troubleshooting embedded systems in user space and kernel space
High-level programming and scripting languages such as Java, Python, Perl, Tcl, bash
YANG modeling language and toolchains
Software development methodologies such as Agile or Waterfall
Familiarity with datacom and telecom concepts such as DWDM, SONET/SDH, OTN, Ethernet, OSI Model, TCP/IP, MPLS
Pay Range:
The hourly pay range for this position is $24.50 - $33.00
Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.

In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers students access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation pay as required by applicable laws.
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At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.