software engineer

senior software engineer

intern

engineer

hardware engineer

Ciena

Ciena has grown rapidly in recent years and their portfolio of customer is one of the stronger in the industry.

Work-life balance is of the utmost importance.

It is difficult to advance in current position because there are a lot of obstacles to overcome, such as management, waiting on senior employees to leave or retire, and how much knowledge you can absorb and quickly apply to outshine colleagues. There is something new to be learned everyday, which is a pro and a con. Job is fairly secure but compensation is on-par or below industry standards because they are not a highly profitable company.

The management is extremely supportive and patient. All questions are  welcomed. The team members including the manager is approachable at any time for any enquires.One-on-one team meetings are conducted by the manager every week to keep the team updated with all the upgrades within the company and relevant to our team's work. During this team meetings any concerns regarding the assigned job is also discussed.Monthly team outings also take place where the team bonds. The company also provides lunch the entire week. In addition the company has a gym for the employees which encourages physical activity.

Ciena is always evolving and staying in step with market trends. Its promotes an environment that integrates cultural diversification and has outreach to virtually all geographies.

A typical work day will include some form of a video conference call with attendees from across the globe.  It makes for very inspiring engagements.  An excellent IT infrastructure offers high grade work-from-home experiences.

Regular quarterly communication sessions allow the entire company to receive updates from the Senior Executives/leaders of the company.

was an intern for one year at the new ottawa campus (kanata) and overall it was a great experience, so much stuff to learn from very talented and knowledgeable persons. Managers always try to find the best fit for your talents and what you eager to learn about. As a con I would say that people over there really work long hours (it was usual for me to be connected at 11 PM or so and see many of my team members online) and the salary doesn't necessarily takes that into account.

I've been part of several "re-structures" within this company and you're always left feeling nervous.  Management does not support you.  They expect you to take on more work than possible without complaining and just accept it.  Great co-workers however management in procurement tend to run the company lean and there's nothing you can do about it.  I enjoyed my time there because of the people.  This company uses and abuses you until they get what they want from you and then they throw you to the curb.

In my position I was basically on call 24/7. 

Sales drive everything and you are expected to meet the obligations sold. Expect to travel a lot. Your quarterly results will make or break you. 

The company has the moto ONTG or One Neck To Grab. If you are in charge of something, you are the ONTG. Everything is based on this.

Lots of room to move within the company, but it is really more about who you know than what you know. A lot of really good people to work with but watch your back.

That said, I'd do it all again.

Ciena is an amazing place to start your career straight out of university. The work culture here is super fun, lots of positivity, and energy. 
The work and pressure will depend on the managers/projects. One thing is sure that people here are very supportive and friendly. Managers will take an extra effort and help you on the projects, give proper guidance, meet deadlines, presentations to the clients, etc. So, it won’t always be a tussle task to co-ordinate with them.

The team I worked with was very supportive. I got hired based on a tool I knew beforehand and had to work on a different software which I never used before. My manager literally guided me step by step and helped me understand the completely new software, in few months I was a pro. Had to leave due to limited contract but will always look forward to going back again if ever got any opportunity. Recommended 100%.

Reporting to the Senior Director of PLM, responsible for product and project management of CatenaView – Ciena’s Access EMS Java-based client/server (J2EE) software product offer.  CatenaView managed Ciena’s Internet Protocol DSLAM network elements that were used in a Tier-1 carrier network.  An in-depth understanding of the network elements was important in this role

Overall good, has its ups and downs with regards to different management styles.  Management  changes almost every year, so you need to adapt to each new style and each one has his own preferences and requirements, not always in the best interest of the organization as a whole.  Year end every year always brought layoffs which made it very unsettling to do an effective job.

Top Job Titles	Average salary
Software engineer 14 salaries reported	$100,929 per year
Senior software engineer 3 salaries reported	$116,667 per year
Intern 3 salaries reported	$27.33 per hour
Engineer 6 salaries reported	$122,667 per year
Hardware engineer 4 salaries reported	$96,500 per year

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