Freelance Packet Core Engineer Jobs in Atlanta, GA

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena builds the critical infrastructure powering the AI era. We’re a technology company shaping the future of networking, guided by innovation, integrity, and collaboration. Through development opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility, Ciena supports growth and well-being—on and off the job. Connect with a career that matters. This Product Line Manager role offers the opportunity to shape the strategy, execution, and business performance of Routing and Switching solutions. The position connects customer requirements, market dynamics, and technology investments to measurable business outcomes. Success in this role influences product direction, customer value, revenue growth, and portfolio performance.

• Own the business performance of assigned Routing and Switching products and solutions, driving strategy, roadmap definition, business planning, execution readiness, lifecycle decisions, and financial results.
• Engage directly with account teams and customers to identify network evolution priorities, contribute to architecture discussions, validate roadmap assumptions, and position solutions around customer outcomes.
• Translate customer requirements, market developments, standards evolution, technology trends, and competitive insights into product requirements, business cases, investment priorities, and go-to-market plans.
• Build and maintain product business cases that align pricing strategy, margin objectives, revenue opportunities, cost structures, competitive positioning, investment trade-offs, and profitability targets.
• Create alignment across Engineering, Supply Chain, Marketing, Services, and account teams to advance initiatives from concept through launch, adoption, and lifecycle management.
• Lead roadmap and portfolio planning based on customer demand, market requirements, technology readiness, platform economics, competitive differentiation, and execution considerations.

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, computer science, business, or a related field; advanced technical degree preferred.
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in Product Management, network architecture, technical strategy, systems engineering, or a related role within telecom, networking, cloud infrastructure, or Service Provider markets.
• Track record of leading complex cross-functional initiatives and delivering results across engineering, commercial, operational, and customer-facing organizations.
• Experience developing business cases, pricing strategies, forecasting models, portfolio plans, competitive analyses, profitability assessments, investment prioritization frameworks, and product lifecycle decisions.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, maintain momentum, and execute within a fast-paced environment.

• Application of IP networking and routing technologies, including IPv4/IPv6, BGP, IS-IS, OSPF, MPLS, Segment Routing, multicast, EVPN, QoS, OAM, and Service Provider network architectures.
• Experience with Service Provider architectures across access, aggregation, metro, core, edge, DCI, cloud interconnect, business services, and converged packet-optical environments.
• Ability to communicate with engineering teams and executive stakeholders.
• Experience evaluating innovation based on technical feasibility, customer value, execution risk, time-to-market, differentiation, and financial return.
• Experience working directly with Tier-1, Tier-2, MSO, or cloud/network operator customers on network modernization, routing transformation, service evolution, or automation initiatives.
• Exposure to AI-enabled operations, streaming telemetry, intent-based networking, cloud-native network functions, programmable infrastructure, SRv6, network slicing, and advanced orchestration.
• Ability to bring clarity to ambiguity, evaluate trade-offs, simplify complexity, and align teams around execution milestones and measurable outcomes.

The annual pay range for this position is $137,800 - $220,200 USD #LI-WH1 #LI-Remote

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.

Non-Sales employees may be eligible for a discretionary incentive bonus, while Sales employees may be eligible for a sales commission.

In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision plans, participation in 401(K) (USA) & DCPP (Canada) with company matching, Employee Stock Purchase Program (ESPP), Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation time.

We also comply with all applicable laws regarding Paid Family Leave and other leaves of absence.

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.