Optical Design Engineer Jobs in California (NOW HIRING)

Keysight is at the forefront of technology innovation, delivering breakthroughs and trusted insights in electronic design, simulation, prototyping, test, manufacturing, and optimization. Our ~15,000 employees create world‑class solutions in communications, 5G, automotive, energy, quantum, aerospace, defense, and semiconductor markets for customers in over 100 countries. Learn more about what we do.

Our award‑winning culture embraces a bold vision of where technology can take us and a passion for tackling challenging problems with industry‑first solutions. We believe that when people feel a sense of belonging, they can be more creative, innovative, and thrive at all points in their careers.

Design Engineering Software (DES) is a global, multi‑business‑unit organization within Keysight, delivering advanced software solutions that enable customers to design, simulate, and validate the world’s most complex electronic and physical systems. One of these business units, Optical Design Engineering (ODE), focuses on industry‑leading optical and photonics design software.

Keysight is seeking a proven General Manager to lead the ODE Business Unit, with full P&L ownership and end‑to‑end responsibility for strategy, growth, and execution. This role represents a significant general management opportunity for a senior leader ready to scale a global engineering software business, accelerate recurring revenue, and drive profitable growth within a broader, highly differentiated multi‑physics portfolio.

ODE delivers industry‑leading optical and photonics design software, extending DES’s multi‑physics portfolio into optics and photonics. The business enables system‑level virtual prototyping across electronics, mechanics, and optics—empowering customers to design increasingly complex, high‑performance systems with greater speed, accuracy, and confidence.

As part of Keysight’s ongoing DES transformation, this role is central to driving sustainable growth through recurring software revenue, operational efficiency, and portfolio leverage across DES. The General Manager holds full accountability for business performance, technology direction, and people leadership, while contributing to DES‑wide innovation, integration, and long‑term value creation.

• Lead a global organization with core engineering and leadership hubs in the United States, Germany, and Japan, supported by regional commercial coverage across APAC and EMEA.
• Report directly to the Senior Vice President of DES and operate as a member of the DES senior leadership team, contributing to enterprise‑level strategy, transformation, and execution.
• Own the end‑to‑end ODE business with full P&L responsibility, including:
  • Product and technology strategy aligned with DES platform priorities
  • Engineering execution and disciplined roadmap delivery
  • Go‑to‑market alignment, pipeline expansion, and revenue growth
  • Operational efficiency, cost discipline, and scalable execution
• Drive the evolution of ODE’s business model by accelerating recurring revenue through subscription, hybrid, and enterprise deployment models, while improving customer adoption, retention, and lifetime value.
• Lead through a senior leadership team spanning Engineering, Product Management, Go‑to‑Market, Product Marketing, and Operations, while leveraging shared DES functions including Sales, Customer Success, Marketing, Finance, HR, and IT.
• Act as a strategic business leader, anticipating and shaping industry evolution across:
  • Optical and photonics simulation software
  • Licensing and deployment models (on‑premise, subscription, hybrid enterprise)
  • High‑performance computing, GPU acceleration, and cloud architectures
  • AI‑enabled simulation and design workflows
• Identify and develop new applications and growth opportunities by combining technologies across multiple DES business units, leveraging Keysight’s scale to address high‑value customer workflows and emerging market needs.
• Drive portfolio focus and differentiation by prioritizing high‑impact use cases, target markets, and competitive positioning within a rapidly evolving simulation ecosystem.
• Ensure strong alignment with DES and Keysight strategies, integrating ODE priorities with broader software, hardware, and solutions portfolios to maximize customer value and operational leverage.
• Build and sustain a high‑performing, inclusive leadership culture, developing talent, succession, and engagement across geographies while leading effectively through change.

• Senior leadership experience with full P&L ownership for a software or technology business.
• Proven ability to scale and lead engineering or simulation software organizations in complex, highly technical markets.
• Strong track record driving recurring revenue transformation, including subscription and enterprise licensing models.
• Technical credibility in optical, photonics, or multi‑physics simulation, with experience guiding product and technology strategy.
• Experience owning end‑to‑end product and engineering execution, from roadmap definition through delivery.
• Strategic understanding of modern compute architectures, including HPC, cloud, GPU acceleration, and AI‑enabled workflows.
• Experience leading globally distributed teams across North America, Europe, and Asia.
• Proven people leader capable of building high‑performing, inclusive leadership teams and leading through change.

The role requires strong global leadership presence and regular international travel.

Keysight is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Santa Rosa, CA Pay Range: MIN $207,360.00 - $276,480.00 - MAX $345,600.00

Santa Clara, CA Pay Range: MIN $227,520.00 - $303,360.00 - MAX $379,200.00

Pasadena, CA Pay Range: MIN $207,360.00 - $276,480.00 - MAX $345,600.00