Staff Hardware Development Engineer

The Staff Hardware Development Engineer will play a crucial role in our NI ON department. They will own the mechanical design process, collaborating closely with cross-functional teams to deliver cutting-edge optical transceiver products. This role offers an exciting opportunity to contribute to the development of next-generation pluggable form factors and drive the future of optical networking.
NILightpath

• Own mechanical design and packaging for OSFP, OSFP-XD, QSFP-DD, and other pluggable form factors.
• Design high-density, thermally optimized solutions for 100G, 400G, 800G, and 1.6T transceiver modules.
• Work closely with Optics, Electronics, Thermal, and other teams from concept to production.
• Drive design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and cost optimization initiatives.
• Ensure compliance with MSA standards, customer requirements, and manufacturing processes.
• Lead the mechanical architecture decisions for next-generation pluggable products.
• Support product qualification and validation activities, including FAI, DVT, and PVT.
• Perform root-cause analysis and implement corrective actions for manufacturing issues.
• Collaborate with global suppliers and manufacturing partners to ensure smooth operations.

• B.E./B.Tech/M.Tech in Mechanical Engineering or a related field.
• 8+ years of mechanical product design experience, with a minimum of 3 years in optical modules or compact electronic systems.
• Expertise in Creo Parametric or equivalent 3D CAD tools for part and assembly modeling.
• Strong understanding of mechanical packaging, tolerance engineering, and GD&T.
• Hands-on experience with precision machining, sheet metal fabrication, and other manufacturing processes.
• Ability to perform engineering calculations for latch forces, insertion/extraction forces, and more.
• Understanding of material properties and selection for various components.
• Excellent communication and problem-solving skills for cross-functional collaboration.
• Experience in a high-volume manufacturing environment is preferred.
• A proven track record of delivering optical transceiver products from concept to production is an asset.