Senior Systems Engineer – Fiber Optic Telecommunications

Senior Project Engineer – Fiber Optic Communication Systems

Location: Newington, NH

Employment Type: Full-Time | Direct Hire

Salary: $130,000–$150,000 annually, with some flexibility depending on experience

Schedule: Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–4:30 PM

Travel: Domestic and international travel as required at times

Position Overview

This company is seeking an experienced Senior Project Engineer to lead the technical development, design, and implementation of complex undersea fiber optic communication systems.

This position plays a critical role in developing innovative, reliable, and cost-effective telecommunications solutions that meet customer requirements. The Senior Project Engineer will collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Research & Development (R&D), Manufacturing, Marine Operations, Sales, Product Line Management, and Project Management, to support projects from initial concept and proposal development through engineering design, validation, and execution.

The ideal candidate will have a strong background in fiber optic telecommunications, optical networking, systems engineering, or submarine cable systems, combined with technical leadership experience and the ability to manage complex engineering projects in a global environment.

Key Responsibilities

Systems Engineering & Technical Design

• Develop and implement technical solutions for complex undersea fiber optic communication systems based on customer specifications and project requirements.
• Lead the development of system architectures, engineering designs, and technical solutions for optical telecommunications projects.
• Perform and oversee optical and electrical power budget calculations, system modeling, reliability assessments, and availability analyses to validate system performance.
• Evaluate technical requirements, identify engineering risks, and develop cost-effective solutions that meet performance, quality, and reliability standards.
• Support system design reviews, technical evaluations, design validation, and engineering problem-solving activities.

Project Engineering & Technical Leadership

• Serve as the technical engineering lead throughout the project lifecycle, including customer bids, proposals, contract negotiations, design development, and project execution.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering activities to ensure technical requirements, schedules, and project objectives are achieved.
• Work closely with R&D, Manufacturing, Marine Operations, Sales, Product Line Management, and Project Management teams to develop and deliver integrated engineering solutions.
• Manage multiple engineering priorities and support the successful execution of complex telecommunications projects.
• Provide technical guidance and mentorship to junior engineers and other project team members.

Customer Engagement & Proposal Development

• Partner with Sales and Project Management teams to develop technical proposals, bid strategies, system specifications, and customer solutions.
• Participate in customer meetings, technical presentations, design reviews, and contract-related discussions.
• Translate customer requirements into practical engineering solutions while balancing technical feasibility, cost, performance, and reliability.
• Communicate complex technical information effectively to customers, engineering teams, and senior leadership.

Engineering Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve engineering processes, system design methodologies, and project execution.
• Develop and enhance engineering tools, software applications, calculation models, and technical documentation.
• Support continuous improvement initiatives focused on engineering efficiency, system reliability, and cost optimization.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, or a closely related technical field.
• 7 years of progressive engineering experience in telecommunications, fiber optics, optical networking, submarine cable systems, or a related technical industry.
• Strong understanding of optical transmission systems, fiber optic communications, and network design principles.
• Experience developing system-level architectures, technical proposals, engineering specifications, and customer-focused technical solutions.
• Experience performing or overseeing optical power budgets, electrical power budgets, system modeling, and engineering analyses.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex engineering projects and coordinating cross-functional technical teams.
• Ability to interpret customer requirements and translate them into practical engineering designs and technical solutions.
• Strong analytical, troubleshooting, problem-solving, and technical decision-making abilities.
• Experience managing multiple projects, competing priorities, and technical deliverables.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present technical information to customers and leadership.
• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing or supporting submarine fiber optic cable systems, undersea telecommunications networks, or long-haul optical transmission systems.
• Knowledge of optical network architecture, transmission performance, system reliability, and network availability.
• Experience with optical system modeling, engineering simulation tools, and telecommunications design software.
• Previous involvement in technical bid development, customer proposals, and engineering support for contract negotiations.
• Experience working with global engineering teams, telecommunications equipment manufacturers, or large-scale infrastructure projects.
• Experience mentoring engineers or serving as a technical lead on multidisciplinary engineering projects.