As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena is committed to a people-first approach. Our teams enjoy a culture focused on prioritizing a flexible work environment that empowers individual growth, well-being, and belonging. We’re a technology company that leads with our humanity—driving our business priorities alongside meaningful social, community, and societal impact.
The Opportunity:
A Software Development Intern role focused on contributing to a cloud-native engineering platform and infrastructure migration initiative. The position involves analyzing existing systems, evaluating modern Kubernetes-native solutions, and supporting the transition of workflow orchestration capabilities. This opportunity enables hands-on experience with platform engineering, DevOps practices, and containerized environments.
How you will make an impact:
- Analyze engineering workflows implemented using Kubeflow
- Document and map workflow requirements including orchestration, retry handling, lifecycle management, data transfer, and artifact storage
- Evaluate Kubernetes-native workflow orchestration options such as Kubernetes Jobs, CronJobs, Argo Workflows, and Tekton
- Develop proof-of-concept implementations to validate alternative architectures
- Design and implement migration scripts, tools, and deployment configurations
- Build and maintain deployment manifests, Helm charts, and infrastructure-as-code assets
- Develop automated tests to validate reliability and functional equivalence of workflows
The must haves:
- Education: Actively enrolled in a degree program in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related discipline,
- Strong programming experience in Python, Go, Java, C++, or similar languages
- Understanding of Linux operating systems and command-line tools
- Familiarity with Docker containers and containerized application development
- Knowledge of software development practices and version control using Git
- Strong analytical and troubleshooting skills
- Ability to independently research and evaluate technical solutions
Nice to haves:
- Experience with Kubernetes (K8s) and cloud-native technologies
- Familiarity with workflow orchestration platforms such as Kubeflow, Argo Workflows, Tekton, or similar tools
- Experience deploying and managing applications on Linux servers
- Knowledge of Infrastructure-as-Code tools and CI/CD pipelines
- Experience with object storage platforms such as MinIO or S3-compatible systems
- Exposure to Helm, YAML-based deployments, and Kubernetes operators
- Interest in DevOps, cloud infrastructure, or platform engineering
Pay Range:
Pay range for this position is $25.00 - $32.00 an hour.
Pay ranges at Ciena are designed to accommodate variations in knowledge, skills, experience, market conditions, and locations, reflecting our diverse products, industries, and lines of business. Please note that the pay range information provided in this posting pertains specifically to the primary location, which is the top location listed in case multiple locations are available.
In addition to competitive compensation, Ciena offers students access to the Employee Assistance Program (EAP), company-paid holidays, paid sick leave, and vacation pay as required by applicable laws.
At Ciena, we are committed to building and fostering an environment in which our employees feel respected, valued, and heard. Ciena values the diversity of its workforce and respects its employees as individuals. We do not tolerate any form of discrimination.
Ciena is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability and protected veteran status.
If contacted in relation to a job opportunity, please advise Ciena of any accommodation measures you may require.