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Fiber Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Lightmatter

Mechanical Design Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$135K - $212K/yr

... Engineering or a related field. * Minimum of 3 years of mechanical design experience in ... Fiber array unit (FAU) attach, optical connector, or photonic alignment experience. * Experience ...

Apple

Packaging Product Design Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$184K - $324K/yr

... of fiber-based materials Minimum Qualifications 5 years of related industry experience BS degree with an emphasis in Mechanical Engineering, Packaging Science or related industry Experience working ...

Socket.dev

Senior Design Engineer, Body

Torrance, CA · On-site

$117 - $157/hr

Our work blends iconic design with modern engineering, lightweight materials, and obsessive ... We are not looking for a carbon-fiber industry expert, this is an excellent opportunity to gain ...

New

PsiQuantum

Staff Digital Design Engineer

Palo Alto, CA · On-site

... standard fiber-optic infrastructure. In 2024, PsiQuantum announced government-funded projects to ... The digital design engineer will join PsiQuantum's Electronic Sub-Systems team in the development ...

Leidos

RCDD Telecom Design Engineer

National City, CA · On-site

$116K - $210K/yr

Design fiber interconnections between external sites and internal transport and routed network ... Engineering degree desired but not required * Must be a US citizen and be able to pass a DOE ...

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Fiber Design Engineer information

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How much do fiber design engineer jobs pay per hour?

As of Aug 9, 2026, the average hourly pay for fiber design engineer in California is $42.46, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $34.18 and $49.33 per hour, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What are some common challenges faced by fiber design engineers during project execution?

Fiber Design Engineers often encounter challenges such as coordinating with multiple stakeholders, navigating complex permitting processes, and adapting designs to site-specific constraints like existing infrastructure or geographical obstacles. Balancing cost efficiency with network performance requirements and ensuring compliance with safety and industry standards are also central to the role. Effective communication and problem-solving skills are essential, as the engineer frequently collaborates with construction teams, local authorities, and clients to keep projects on track.

What does a fiber design engineer do?

A fiber design engineer, also known as an outside plant engineer (OSP), is a telecommunications engineer who designs optic cable systems. Your responsibilities include fiber design and its allocation, developing route maps for cable and assessing the terrain through which your cabling must pass, creating budgets for projects, determining the types of materials necessary to complete orders, and ensuring you have the right inventory for each project. Your designs and analyses are then passed off to a contractor or project manager who implements your designs.

What is the difference between Fiber Design Engineer vs Optical Network Engineer?

AspectFiber Design EngineerOptical Network Engineer
CredentialsBachelor's in Electrical/Telecom Engineering, certifications like CCNA, Fiber Optic certificationsBachelor's in Electrical/Telecom Engineering, certifications like CCNA, Fiber Optic certifications
Work EnvironmentDesigning fiber optic networks, planning layouts, and specificationsImplementing, troubleshooting, and maintaining optical networks
Industry UsageTelecom, internet service providers, network infrastructureTelecom, data centers, network service providers

While both roles require similar technical credentials and work within the telecom and network industries, a Fiber Design Engineer primarily focuses on designing fiber optic networks, whereas an Optical Network Engineer handles the deployment, troubleshooting, and maintenance of these networks.

What is a fiber design engineer?

Fiber Design Engineers are professionals who plan, design, and oversee the installation of fiber optic networks for telecommunications, internet, and data services. They create detailed network layouts, select appropriate materials, and ensure designs meet industry standards and client specifications. Their work involves collaborating with construction teams, conducting site surveys, and using specialized software to optimize network performance. Fiber Design Engineers play a crucial role in expanding high-speed internet and communication infrastructure.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a fiber design engineer, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Fiber Design Engineer, you need a solid background in telecommunications engineering, fiber optic network design, and a relevant degree such as electrical or civil engineering. Proficiency with design software like AutoCAD, GIS systems, and knowledge of industry standards (e.g., ITU, ANSI) are typically required. Strong problem-solving, attention to detail, and effective communication skills set outstanding candidates apart. These capabilities ensure the accurate planning, implementation, and maintenance of reliable, high-performance fiber optic networks.

How much do fiber design engineers make?

Fiber design engineers typically earn a median annual salary ranging from $70,000 to $110,000, depending on experience, location, and industry. Advanced skills in optical fiber technology and certifications can lead to higher compensation, especially in specialized or high-demand environments.
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Fiber Design Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Fiber Design Engineer job openings in California as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 100% Full Time. Highlights an 100% In-person job distribution, with an average salary of $88,323 per year, or $42.5 per hour.

Mechanical Design Engineer

Lightmatter

Mountain View, CA • On-site

$135K - $212K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, Retirement, PTO

Re-posted 26 days ago

Job description

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world's first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.
Lightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!
If you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.
Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!
In this role, you will be working on leading-edge packaging technologies to enable AI architectures that set new industry standards for compute power, performance, and efficiency. As a member of the Packaging team, you will collaborate with several teams to identify key failure modes under product use conditions and run appropriate parametric design studies to influence product and package design upstream. You will be responsible for the package stack-up analysis, co-optimizing mechanical, optical and thermal aspects that influence package form factors, and driving socket/enabling mechanisms. You will utilize Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) to propose solutions that finalize the design. Your work will result in advanced package designs that meet power dissipation, assembly, optical, and reliability requirements, while delivering a system level solution for leading edge products in the data centers and high-end compute segment.
Responsibilities:
  • Create CAD models of package stack-up and associated components.
  • Perform mechanical design analysis to identify and implement solutions that improve package mechanical integrity.
  • Execute tolerance stack-up analyses and create GD&T drawings for advanced packages - including optically aligned assemblies where micron-level precision defines product performance
  • Apply manufacturing expertise to influence design choices, perform FMEAs, and evaluate the cost implications of process and design decisions.
  • Collaborate with package and systems teams to ensure packaging solutions comply with system boundary conditions.

Requirements:
  • BS or MS in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
  • Minimum of 3 years of mechanical design experience in semiconductor packaging, optoelectronics, or photonics modules.
  • Proficiency in CAD tools such as Solidworks or Creo, with a focus on mechanical design best practices.
  • Expertise in Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance stack-up analysis.
  • Manage prototype builds with external vendors, validating the designs, and ensuring the scalability to high volume manufacturability.
  • Working knowledge of semiconductor packaging technologies, including the mechanical and thermal trade-offs of 3D, 2.5D, and FCBGA architectures.

Preferred Qualifications
  • Knowledge of ASME Y14.5 standards.
  • Ability to drive results independently and with minimal supervision.
  • Working knowledge of FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, or similar) for structural and thermal analysis.
  • Fiber array unit (FAU) attach, optical connector, or photonic alignment experience.
  • Experience with liquid cooling or advanced thermal architectures for AI/HPC systems.
  • Exposure to high-volume manufacturing and OSAT engagement in Asia.
  • Strong cross-functional communication skills and a bias toward fast, data-driven iteration.

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.
Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.
$135,000-$212,000 USD
Benefits
  • Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
  • Retirement Savings Matching Program
  • Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
  • Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
  • Paid Family Leave
  • Short Term & Long Term Disability
  • Training & Development
  • Commuter Benefits
  • Flexible, hybrid workplace model
  • Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees)

Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.
Export Control
Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.

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