# Principal DSP Designer – Coherent Optical Transmission Systems - Acacia at Cisco

AI Level 1, AI centrality 20 out of 100. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

## Details

- Company: [Cisco](https://jobsbylevel.com/companies/cisco)
- AI level: AI Level 1 (score 20 out of 100)
- Location: Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
- Salary: $223k-$286k
- Posted: October 6, 2026
- Apply: https://jobsbylevel.com/go/10133abb-f060-42e9-91f7-b23ef154449a

## Description

The application window is expected to close on: 10/11/2026 Meet the Team Join our high-impact team at Acacia, a Cisco company, where we design industry-leading coherent optical transceivers powering hyper-scale cloud data centers, AI infrastructure, and global telecommunication networks. We are a specialized, collaborative team of algorithm and ASIC innovators operating at the forefront of digital signal processing (DSP) and forward error correction (FEC) technology. Our team directly architects the custom silicon and complex control algorithms that push transmission speeds, energy efficiency, and reach beyond physical limits. If you are passionate about solving deep mathematical and physical layer challenges alongside world-class optical and semiconductor experts, this is the team for you. Your Impact As a Principal DSP Designer, you will serve as a senior technical authority driving the algorithmic architecture for our next-generation low-power, high-baud-rate coherent optical transceiver ASICs. You will invent, simulate, and mathematically prove novel DSP and FEC algorithms, translating breakthrough theoretical concepts into highly optimizable hardware architectures. You will partner closely with ASIC designers, electro-optic engineers, and firmware architects to model complex analog RF and non-linear optical impairments, establish precision specifications, and validate live silicon performance in the lab. Your innovations will directly define Acacia’s architectural roadmap and accelerate global data connectivity. Minimum Qualifications PhD + 8+ years of hands-on experience designing, simulating, and implementing DSP and/or FEC algorithms for high-speed optical communications or complex communication systems. Demonstrated expertise developing mathematical physical layer simulation models in both floating-point and fixed-point precision. Programming experience in C/C++, MATLAB, or Python for communication systems modeling, simulation development, and performance analysis. Experience validating, testing, and optimizing DSP/FEC algorithms on real silicon or laboratory hardware setups, correlating measured physical results with algorithmic models. Preferred Qualifications Experience collaborating directly with ASIC design and verification teams, with working familiarity in RTL (Verilog, SystemVerilog, or VHDL) and hardware micro-architecture trade-offs. In-depth knowledge of coherent optical physical layer impairments, including chromatic dispersion (CD), polarization mode dispersion (PMD), carrier phase recovery, and non-linear compensation. Demonstrated experience modeling analog front-end (AFE), RF, and electro-optical transceiver components (e.g., ADCs, DACs, laser phase noise, driver non-linearities). Proficiency working in Linux development environments with standard software engineering practices and version control systems (Git, Perforce, or SVN). Strong technical leadership and communication capabilities, with a proven track record of authoring clear architectural specifications, patent disclosures, and presenting complex technical concepts to multi-disciplinary engineering teams. Why Cisco? At Cisco, we’re revolutionizing how data and infrastructure connect and protect organizations in the AI era – and beyond. We’ve been innovating fearlessly for 40 years to create solutions that power how humans and technology work together across the physical and digital worlds. These solutions provide customers with unparalleled security, visibility, and insights across the entire digital footprint. Fueled by the depth and breadth of our technology, we experiment and create meaningful solutions. Add to that our worldwide network of doers and experts, and you’ll see that the opportunities to grow and build are limitless. We work as a team, collaborating with empathy to make really big things happen on a global scale. Because our solutions are everywhere, our impact is everywhere. We are Cisco, and our power starts with you. Message

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Source: https://jobsbylevel.com/jobs/principal-dsp-designer-coherent-optical-transmission-systems-acacia-at-cisco-ee958c

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