
Optical Systems Architect
Required skills
- DWDM
- optical DWDM communication systems
- line system cards
- transmission effects
- signal power evolution
- OSNR evolution
- fiber nonlinearities
- Product Line Management requirements
- optical amplifiers
- ROADMs
Nice to have
- AI-driven data center era
- Infinera acquisition
- optical networking powerhouse
- connectivity
Role summary
The Optical Systems Architect will lead the design and architecture of novel optical DWDM communication systems within Nokia's Optical Architecture group. This role involves architecting and implementing new optical hardware and software platforms, defining linecard architectures, setting specifications, and ensuring technical success from concept to release. Responsibilities include managing transmission effects, documenting trade-offs, and collaborating with cross-functional teams. The position requires expert knowledge of DWDM systems, fiber transmission, optical hardware, and coherent modulation formats, with a proven track record in optical line system hardware architecture.
In an increasingly connected world, the pandemic has highlighted just how essential telecom networks are to keeping society running. The Network Infrastructure group is at the heart of a revolution to connectivity, pushing the boundaries to deliver more and faster network capacity to people worldwide through our ambition, innovation, and technical expertise
Join Optical Networks division, where innovation meets scale in the AI-driven data center era. With the recent acquisition of Infinera, we’ve united two industry leaders to create an optical networking powerhouse—combining cutting-edge technology with proven leadership to redefine the future of connectivity.
As part of Nokia’s Optical Architecture group, you will have a unique opportunity to lead the design and architecture of novel optical DWDM communication systems. You will be responsible for architecting and implementing new optical hardware and software platforms in collaboration with our Systems Architecture, Systems Engineering and Software Development teams.
Responsibilities
In this role, you will own the architecture of assigned DWDM line system cards, and be accountable for their technical success from concept through release. Your key responsibilities will include:
Architecting and optimizing DWDM line system products with fellow architects, accounting for transmission effects such as signal power/OSNR evolution and fiber nonlinearities
Translating Product Line Management requirements into linecard architecture, and documenting trade-offs among performance, cost, risk and schedule
Defining key hardware specifications and baseline designs for these linecards, such as optical amplifiers, ROADMs and multiplexers
Setting the modeling methods and acceptance criteria used to validate linecard designs, and directing experimental feasibility studies of components and modules
Owning the detailed hardware and software system requirements documents (SRDs) for these linecards, and leading design reviews with multi-site engineering teams
Aligning with cross-functional teams, from systems engineering through test and field deployment, on plans and priorities for these linecards
Representing the line system architecture in technical engagements with key customers, including demonstrations of new optical transmission technologies
Mentoring engineers and guiding their technical work
Qualifications
Knowledge / Skills / Abilities
Expert knowledge of DWDM systems and fiber transmission effects, and how to account for them in system design
Deep knowledge of DWDM transmission hardware, including EDFAs, Raman amplifiers, ROADMs and multiplexer technologies
Experience in long-haul optical link design, including power budgets, OSNR calculations and transmission penalties
Knowledge of advanced coherent modulation formats, with hands-on experience of their transmission over long-haul systems
Proven track record of leading the architecture of optical line system hardware from concept to release
Experience writing system requirements and specifications for optical hardware
Sound, independent judgment on ambiguous and novel technical problems
Sample Nokia interview questions
- 1
Merge Overlapping Intervals Merge overlapping intervals in an array. Input: intervals = [[1,4],[4,5]] Output: [[1,5]] Explanation: The intervals touch exactly at the 4 mark, so they are successfully merged into a single continuous interval.
codingmedium - 2
Dot Product of Two Sparse Vectors Calculate the dot product of two sparse vectors. Input: nums1 = [0,1,0,0,2], nums2 = [0,0,0,0,5] Output: 10 Explanation: Multiplies the aligned non-zero values (2 * 5) and ignores all the zeros, yielding a dot product of 10.
codingmedium - 3
Vertical Order Traversal Perform a vertical order traversal of a binary tree. Input: root = [1,2,3,4,5,6,7] Output: [[4],[2],[1,5,6],[3],[7]] Explanation: Traverses the tree maintaining column indices, seamlessly grouping nodes that share the exact same vertical alignment.
codingmedium - 4
Continuous Subarrays Sum Equals K Find the total number of continuous subarrays whose sum equals K. Input: nums = [1,2,3], k = 3 Output: 2 Explanation: Both the contiguous subarray [1,2] and the single-element subarray [3] sum perfectly to the target of 3.
codingmedium - 5
Iterator over a Binary Search Tree Implement an iterator over a binary search tree. Input: root = [7,3,15,null,null,9,20], calls: next(), hasNext(), next() Output: 3, TRUE, 7 Explanation: The iterator yields the smallest value (3), confirms more nodes exist, then properly yields the next in-order value (7).
codingmedium
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