Simulation-driven optimization of complex engineering systems increasingly demands intelligent frameworks capable of replacing exhaustive parameter sweeps with rapid, learned predictions. This paper presents a general surrogate optimization framework that couples high-fidelity simulation with a machine learning regression model to predict system performance and select optimal configurations without exhaustive re-simulation. Fiber-optic dispersion compensation is adopted as a representative benchmark: selecting the optimal placement strategy for dispersion-compensating fiber (DCF)-pre-, post-, or symmetrical-across varying system parameters is computationally expensive, making it an ideal t... More >