AI Engineer Intern (Winter 2027)

As the global leader in high-speed connectivity, Ciena builds the critical infrastructure powering the AI era. We’re a technology company shaping the future of networking, guided by innovation, integrity, and collaboration.

Through development opportunities, meaningful work, and flexibility, Ciena supports growth and well-being—on and off the job. Connect with a career that matters.

The Opportunity: Join Ciena’s Agentic AI Hub team to help build AI-powered applications that address engineering challenges, automate workflows, and improve productivity.

This role provides exposure to the full AI application development lifecycle, including prototyping, implementation, evaluation, and deployment. The position offers an opportunity to develop practical AI engineering experience while contributing to solutions used by real users.

How you will make an impact: • Design, build, and improve AI agents that enable engineering workflows, knowledge discovery, and developer productivity.

• Develop tools and API integrations that allow agents to retrieve information, interact with enterprise systems, and perform multi-step tasks. • Contribute to user interfaces, backend services, and reusable platform capabilities that improve the usability and maintainability of AI applications.

• Experiment with prompts, context management approaches, and agent workflows, using test results and user feedback to improve outcomes. • Build automated tests and evaluation scenarios to assess task completion, accuracy, reliability, safety, latency, and cost.

• Apply secure software development practices, including input validation, access controls, and appropriate handling of sensitive information. • Collaborate with engineers and stakeholders to deliver defined features, participate in code reviews, document technical decisions, and troubleshoot issues.

The must haves: • Education: Actively enrolled in a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Computer Science, Software Engineering, Computer Engineering, or a related technical discipline, • Proficiency in at least one general-purpose programming language, such as Python, JavaScript, TypeScript, Java, or C++, and willingness to learn new languages and tools.

• Understanding of software engineering fundamentals, including data structures, modular design, debugging, and testing. • Experience building software through coursework, personal projects, hackathons, open-source contributions, or previous internships.

• Basic familiarity with large language models and their capabilities and limitations, along with interest in building AI-powered applications. • Strong problem-solving and communication skills, with the ability to collaborate, incorporate feedback, and learn independently.

Nice to haves: • Hands-on experience building applications with LLM APIs, tool calling, structured outputs, or multi-step agent workflows. • Familiarity with web application development, REST APIs, databases, and Git-based development workflows.

• Exposure to knowledge retrieval, retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), context management, or agent evaluation. • Experience with automated testing, CI/CD, containers, or application monitoring.

• Experience using AI-assisted development tools, with emphasis on reviewing, testing, and validating generated code. • Experience gained through academic or personal projects.

• Candidates are not expected to have experience in every preferred area. Pay Range: The hourly pay range for this position is $25.50 to $35.00. 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.