Senior Staff Optics Engineer, Network Qualification & Strategy

Role description

Role Overview

Crusoe is building the physical and software backbone that powers the world's most demanding AI workloads, and our networking team sits at the center of that mission — designing and operating the high-performance fabrics that connect thousands of GPUs into unified compute clusters.

What You Will Do

Own the technical strategy, qualification, and lifecycle management of optical transceivers and interconnect technologies across Crusoe's data center fleet.

Why It Might Be a Fit

The ideal candidate is a deeply technical optics/networking expert who thrives at the intersection of hardware engineering, vendor strategy, and operational rigor — someone equally comfortable in a lab characterizing signal integrity as they are in a boardroom negotiating a multi-year supply agreement.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field (Master's or PhD preferred)
• 10+ years of experience in optical networking, with direct hands-on experience qualifying transceivers/optics for hyperscale or large-scale data center environments
• Deep technical expertise in optical interconnect technologies (SR/DR/FR/LR optics, DAC/AOC, coherent DWDM) and signal integrity fundamentals for high-speed Ethernet (100G/400G/800G)
• Proven experience building and running hardware qualification programs, including test plan design, lab test execution, and statistical reliability analysis
• Track record of managing vendor relationships and technical negotiations with optics/component suppliers at scale
• Strong understanding of data center network architectures (leaf-spine, rail-optimized GPU fabrics) and how optics choices impact overall fabric design
• Excellent cross-functional communication skills, with experience influencing engineering, procurement, and executive stakeholders
• Demonstrated ability to operate independently in a fast-paced, high-growth environment with evolving priorities

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and equity packages
• Restricted Stock Units
• Paid time off, paid holidays & leave of absence programs
• Comprehensive health, dental & vision insurance
• Employer contributions to HSA account
• Paid parental leave
• Paid life insurance, short-term and long-term disability
• Professional development & tuition reimbursement
• Mental health & wellness support
• Commuter benefits (parking & transit)
• Cell phone stipend
• 401(k) Retirement plan with company match up to 4% of salary
• Volunteer time off
• Global travel insurance & emergency assistance
• Daily meals allowance