Ciena
QA Engineering Intern

How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
About Ciena
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.
Intern Role Summary
Summary
Since 1992, Ciena has been driven by a relentless pursuit of network innovation. We believe in a network that grows smarter, more agile, and more responsive every day. This means that when you digitally interact in your world - picking up the phone, streaming video, texting a friend or loved one – your interactions are being enabled by Ciena technologies.
Ciena makes your social / entertainment / business existence REAL. Ciena's existing Packet Products portfolio comprises of a broad family of products for access and aggregation tiers of the network.
Your Role
Ciena's Edinburgh Routing & Switching Portfolio/IP are seeking early in career Software QA Engineers to complete a placement in our engineering team and help drive the testing and development of the Service Aware Operating System (SAOS), in order to support our customers in developing and deploying their virtualized networks. RSP QA is a Quality Assurance Test Team focusing on the quality of new SW feature development for our IP Switching platforms. This includes both manual and automation testing.
You will have the opportunity to learn from expert colleagues and mentors on your path to continuous learning while developing skills in technologies such as system & network virtualization (Containers, SDN, NFV), sophisticated routing, BGP, Segment Routing, EVPN, LDP, MPLS, Fast switchover, Ethernet services, Passive Optical Networks (PON), Synchronization & Timing Solutions, and more.
Reasons to use Rodeo
I’m in my final year doing Economics and I don’t know whether to apply for grad schemes now or do a masters first. What do you think?
Honest answer — it depends on where you want to end up. A lot of top grad schemes (Big 4, civil service, banking) don’t need a masters. Let’s look at the ones you’d be competitive for now, and we can decide if a masters actually adds anything.
Also worth knowing: most autumn 2026 applications are open now. Timing matters more than you think.
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme
Why you're a good match
StrongYour economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.
See breakdownIt searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Why you're a good match
You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.
Experience fit
Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
QA Key Competencies
Knowledge and Experience
- Undergoing MCA or M. Tech. or B. Tech. in Computer Science or IT or Electronics and Communication or similar.
- Experience writing tests in Python, or similar dynamic languages
- Knowledge and demonstrated usage of Linux OS (ideally Debian), containers and Kubernetes desirable
- Experience with automated test frameworks such as Jenkins and Robot framework would be an advantage
- Any knowledge of Atlassian toolset (Bitbucket, Confluence, Jira)
- Knowledge of network routers/switches or routing protocols (OSPF, BGP, etc.) and services (DHCP, DNS, etc)
- Independent self-starter and capable of effectively managing priorities to achieve business objectives
- Comfortable in a team environment while still taking accountability and working independently as needed
- An understanding of all stages of a Software development lifecycle
- Networking hardware setup and triage
- Experience of cloud networks or network virtualization
- Open Source project contribution
Skills
- Ability to analyse and critique software functionality
- Problem solving
- Can describe visible symptoms of a problem, and propose alternative ways to approach the diagnosis of the underlying issue.
- Excellent communication and technical documentation skills
- Excellent organization skills to manage time, resources, and priorities


Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Attitude
- Tenacious
- Collaborative
- Able to articulate problems found
- Able to work effectively in small teams and individually
- Inquisitive & conscientious at investigating problems
Additional Info
We can offer you an unparalleled opportunity to gain in-depth networking knowledge, working alongside a diverse and industry leading team of network engineers, building components to support customer network services and our own network infrastructure. As a new hire, you will have an assigned Mentor and access to excellent opportunities to build your knowledge, skills and experience and progress forward within the team.
Location
The team are located in the heart of Edinburgh, just a few minutes’ walk from Haymarket station.
Diversity and Inclusion
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.
Equal Opportunity Employer
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.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills