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Senior Staff Optics Engineer, Network Qualification & Strategy

Crusoe· Cloud Engineering
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San Francisco, CA - US, Sunnyvale, CA - US, Bellevue, WA - US$250k - $300k + bonusFull-timePosted 2w ago

About the role

Crusoe is building the physical and software backbone that powers the world's most demanding AI workloads. This role defines and builds Crusoe's optical network strategy and architecture from the ground up, spanning DCI, metro and long-haul DWDM, and the backbone that carries AI training/inference traffic between campuses.

Responsibilities

  • Optical Network Strategy & Architecture: Define Crusoe's multi-year optical strategy and reference architecture across campus DCI, metro, regional, and long-haul segments, including line system design, ROADM topology, protection and restoration model, and failure domains.
  • Backbone & Scale-Across Capacity: Architect the transport layer for inter-campus and backbone growth from multi-Tbps today toward hundreds of Tbps, evaluating 400ZR/ZR+, 800ZR, and embedded coherent transponders against reach, density, power, and cost per bit.
  • Platform & Vendor Selection: Lead technical evaluation and selection of optical line systems and transponders. Drive RFPs, lab validation, multi-vendor interoperability testing, and second-source strategy.
  • Fiber & Route Strategy: Partner with infrastructure, real estate, and procurement on dark fiber, IRU, and wavelength acquisition, including route diversity, fiber characterization (OTDR, CD, PMD), and build-versus-buy decisions for new PoPs and campuses.
  • Optical Automation & Observability: Define how the optical layer is modeled in source of truth, provisioned, and monitored through open interfaces and vendor controllers, so optical state is observable and reconciled.
  • Reliability & Failure Analysis: Own optical-layer failure modes end to end, lead RCA for optical incidents, and drive design changes to reduce blast radius and time to restore.
  • Cross-Functional Partnership: Align optical capacity with GPU cluster deployments, backbone roadmap, and construction timelines with multiple teams.
  • Technical Leadership: Establish optical design standards, engineering documentation, and operational runbooks; mentor engineers and grow the optical engineering function.

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field (Master's preferred)
  • 12+ years of experience in optical transport networking, including 5+ years as an architect or senior technical lead designing production DWDM networks
  • Hands-on expertise with optical platforms (design, commissioning, troubleshooting)
  • Strong knowledge of OSNR, power budgets, EDFA/Raman, XPM/XPMD, nonlinear impairments, flex-grid, and C+L band systems
  • Experience with coherent technologies across 400ZR/ZR+, 800ZR and embedded transponders; understanding tradeoffs between IP-over-DWDM and transponder-based architectures
  • Proven track record defining architecture and roadmap for optical networks from early stage to scale, including capacity planning and cost-per-bit modeling
  • Experience leading vendor evaluations, RFPs, and negotiations with optical vendors and fiber providers
  • Clear written and verbal communication skills for cross-stakeholder alignment

Skills

Required:Optical network architectureDWDM and coherent technologyVendor evaluations & RFPsOpen interfaces and telemetryCross-functional leadership

Benefits

  • Competitive compensation and equity packages
  • Restricted Stock Units
  • Paid time off, paid holidays & leave of absence programs
  • Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance
  • Employer contributions to HSA account
  • Paid parental leave
  • Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
  • Professional development & tuition reimbursement
  • Mental health & wellness support
  • Commuter benefits (parking & transit)
  • Cell phone stipend
  • 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary
  • Volunteer time off
  • Global travel insurance & emergency assistance
  • Daily meals allowance
  • Additional location-specific perks
Last updated Oct 22, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

About Crusoe

The AI factory company | Renewable-powered AI infrastructure

Crusoe provides next-gen AI infrastructure and cloud compute using an energy-first approach. Deploy AI workloads at scale with reliable performance and 24/7 support.

AI infrastructureData centersEdge computingGPU computingRenewable energycloud computeenergy-first approachsetter-30
Company profileWebsite

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