It sounds like you have solid experience. Have you considered contract work? The job market kinda sucks right now. Check out net-temps.com and jobcircle.com. Presently I work through a contract house called YOH Scientific, yohscientific.com in Newark, DE. I'm sure they could find you work but they'll skim a lot off the top. I worked with optical comm when I lived in Mass. Too bad it took a dive. I still see a lot of opportunities for RF comm in southern New Jersey. They usually want LabWindows/CVI. Since you know c/c++, LW/cvi would be a cake walk for you.
Parts of California are also looking hot. I just got this from my net-temps search agent:
1. Software Design Engineer
CA Valencia 6 - 9 months
http://www.net-temps.c
om/adcgi/jobref.cgi/jsd/manp126/PR90630_NT_53685XSLN
2. Sr. RF Test Engineer (San Diego)
CA San Diego 0 - 30 days
http://www.net-temps.com/adcgi/jobref.cgi/jsd/volt278/300278-3074-13-72416
3. Lead Test Engineer
CA Torrance 12+ months
http://www.net-temps.com/adcgi/jobref.cgi/jsd/manp126/PR90630_NT_53706XJDC
4. Lead Engineering 3
CA Torrance 180 - 365 days
http://www.net-temps.com/adcgi/jobref.cgi/jsd/volt272/300272-1063-13-72458
Good luck,
- Kevin
