Optical Test and Automation Engineer, Platforms

About the position

Our Platforms Infrastructure Engineering team designs and builds the hardware and software technologies that power all of Google's services. Our computational challenges are complex and unique, enabled by custom hardware designed and made in-house. As a Hardware Engineer, you will design and build the systems that are the heart of the world's largest and most powerful computing infrastructure. You will see those systems from concepts all the way through to high volume manufacturing. Your work has the potential to shape the machinery that goes into our data centers affecting millions of Google users. As an Optics Hardware Test Engineer you'll play a key role in the development of Google Cloud network infrastructures. You'll be asked to perform testing/validation of novel and complex configurations of networking hardware, and collaborate closely with Hardware and Software teams to configure lab networks and test infrastructure that evaluate and characterize the performance of cloud computing and networking products. You will be the keeper of the lab, responsible for the day-to-day operations with pride in cleanliness, organization, and safety which plays a key role in the rapid development and support of Google's data center technologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead test development for new and existing optical product designs. Create and execute comprehensive test plans, ensuring full coverage and quality adherence.
• Develop and automate optical test instrumentation using Python and vendor Application programming interface (APIs) optimizing data acquisition and scripting.
• Operate wafer probe stations, conduct high-frequency measurements, and analyze wafer data for product validation.
• Develop automated test scripts, debug hardware/software issues for switch/router/transport platforms. Analyze, troubleshoot, and root cause field failures of optical transceiver modules. Drive issues to closure with the design team to implement preventive measures.
• Install, test, repair, and validate new and existing hardware and fiber connections. Maintain lab infrastructure, manage equipment, and troubleshoot field failures, ensuring a functional Research and Development environment.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, or a specialized field (e.g., Optics, Sensors, Audio/DSP, etc.), or equivalent practical experience.
• 2 years of experience working in a hardware lab environment, or 1 year of experience with an advanced degree.
• 2 years of experience working on wafer-level or chip-level probe testing or optical lab automation and scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW).
• 1 year of experience in optical transceivers and testing.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related field (e.g., Optics, Sensors, Audio/DSP).
• Experience with Linux/Unix.
• Experience with lab test and measurement instrumentation (e.g., fiber optic active and passive devices), and with fiber optics components handling and cleaning.
• Experience with data center optical transceiver standards.
• Experience with lab test automation frameworks.
• Understanding of computer and networking systems such as physical, functional, logical, mechanical, optics, electrical, software, thermal, etc.

Benefits

• Bonus
• Equity
• Health benefits