High-Speed SERDES Standards Specialist

Provide deep high-speed electrical I/O and SERDES expertise to shape 400 Gb/s-per-lane and higher standards in IEEE 802.3 and the Optical Internetworking Forum (OIF), while aligning external specifications with Nokia product and technology strategies.

• Work with Product Line Managers, silicon and hardware architects, and R&D teams to identify standardisation objectives for next-generation high-speed electrical interfaces, with emphasis on 400 Gb/s per lane and future higher-rate SERDES technologies.

• Develop and regularly review Nokia standardisation strategies for chip-to-chip, chip-to-module, backplane and copper-cable electrical interfaces used in high-speed Ethernet and optical networking platforms.

• Create, analyse, internally review and externally advocate technical contributions for IEEE 802.3 and OIF projects. Build technical consensus with customers, component suppliers, silicon vendors, ecosystem partners and other standards participants.

• Perform link and system analysis to support standards decisions, including channel loss and reflections, insertion-loss and return-loss limits, crosstalk, jitter and noise budgets, equalisation capability, transmitter and receiver specifications, COM and other statistical or behavioural link methodologies, and interoperability trade-offs.

• Evaluate modulation, baud-rate, FEC and architecture options for 400 Gb/s-per-lane and higher interfaces, considering power, latency, reach, complexity, testability, manufacturability and implementation margin.

• Translate product and platform requirements into technically rigorous standards proposals, objectives, baseline text, presentations and responses to comments.

• Monitor competing proposals and emerging technologies, assess their impact on Nokia product directions, and develop constructive technical alternatives when required.

• Participate actively in IEEE 802.3 Working Group and task force meetings, OIF electrical and physical-layer activities, and relevant industry alliances or multi-source agreements.

• Provide concise internal reports and briefings on standards progress, technical risks, decisions and implications for R&D, product management and senior leadership.

• Build trusted relationships across the ecosystem and influence technical direction through credible analysis, clear communication, collaboration and negotiation.

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, applied physics or a closely related field is required; a master's degree or PhD is preferred.

• Substantial hands-on experience in high-speed SERDES, electrical PHY or mixed-signal interface design, architecture, modelling, validation or product development.

• Deep understanding of high-speed serial-link fundamentals, including transmitter and receiver architectures, clocking and CDR, jitter, phase noise, noise coupling, channel impairments, equalisation and link training.

• Expertise with PAM4 signalling and a strong foundation in modulation, coding, BER, error distributions and the interaction between electrical link performance and FEC.

• Experience with one or more high-speed interface applications such as die-to-die, chip-to-chip, chip-to-module, backplane, passive copper cable or active electrical cable links.

• Working knowledge of Ethernet PHY architecture and terminology, including PCS, FEC, PMA, AUI, PMD, lane mapping and multi-lane aggregation.

• Practical experience with channel and link analysis tools and methods, such as S-parameters, eye and bathtub analysis, statistical simulation, IBIS-AMI, COM, MATLAB, Python or equivalent engineering environments.

• Understanding of packaging, connector, PCB, cable and module constraints at very high signalling rates, including their impact on signal integrity, power integrity and test methodology.

• Experience developing specifications, compliance methods, test fixtures or interoperability plans. Familiarity with BERTs, oscilloscopes, VNAs and high-speed electrical measurements is highly desirable.

• Experience participating in IEEE 802.3, OIF or another consensus-based standards organisation is strongly preferred. Demonstrated contribution authorship, technical editing or leadership is an advantage.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to explain complex engineering trade-offs to specialists, executives, customers and partners.

• Ability to collaborate across R&D, product management, business development, technical sales and external organisations, while working effectively across time zones and organisational boundaries.

• Proficiency in technical negotiation, consensus building and conflict management, with an open and respectful working style.

• Strong organisational skills, autonomy and the ability to manage several fast-moving standards and technology activities in parallel.

• Willingness and ability to travel internationally to standards meetings, technical workshops and industry events as required.
  
  Key technical focus areas

• 400 Gb/s-per-lane and higher electrical signalling for Ethernet and optical-module interfaces.

• Next-generation AUI, chip-to-module, backplane and copper-cable specifications.

• PAM4, PAM6 and potential future modulation formats, equalisation architectures and link training.

• Channel definition, package and board loss, crosstalk, jitter, noise, COM and interoperability methodology.

• Electrical PHY power, latency, reach, testability and implementation trade-offs.

• Alignment of SERDES capabilities with Ethernet PCS/FEC/PMA architecture and optical interface requirements.

   

  What success looks like

• Nokia product requirements are represented early and credibly in relevant standards projects.

• Technical proposals are supported by sound analysis, clear documentation and effective coalition building.

• R&D and product teams receive timely, actionable guidance on standards direction, risks and implementation implications.

• Published specifications enable robust, power-efficient and interoperable high-speed interfaces aligned with industry deployment needs.

   

  Preferred profile

• You are a recognised technical contributor who combines deep SERDES expertise with the judgement and communication skills needed to work in open standards. You are comfortable moving between detailed link analysis, product-level trade-offs and industry consensus building, and you can turn complex engineering evidence into clear, persuasive standards positions.