Photonic Design Engineer

Thema Foundries; Oudenaarde; Sur place; EUR 90 000 - 120 000; Plein temps

Résumé du poste

Thema Foundries is seeking a Senior Photonic Design Engineer to lead design, simulation and optimization of integrated photonic circuits and laser sources for advanced semiconductor applications. You will translate system requirements into robust photonic designs and collaborate across multidisciplinary teams from concept to production.

In this role you will model and verify designs, develop design rules and compact models, and drive continuous improvement for manufacturable, high-performance

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or PhD in Photonics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years experience in integrated photonics design.
• Experience with photonic and semiconductor device design and simulation tools (Lumerical, PhotonDesign, COMSOL, or equivalent).
• Deep understanding of III-V semiconductor lasers and their physics.
• Experience with photonic circuit layout (IPKISS, GDSFactory).
• Familiarity with photonic integrated circuit platforms.
• Fluent in English; Dutch/French is a plus.

Responsabilités

• Design and optimize III-V devices, including SOAs and semiconductor laser sources.
• Create misalignment-tolerant coupling structures and mode transformers for light coupling to photonic waveguides.
• Perform optical, electrical, and thermal modelling and simulation to predict device performance.
• Develop and maintain PDk, design rules, and compact models for active building blocks.
• Analyze characterization data to close the loop between design, fabrication and performance.
• Support productization, documenting designs and contributing to yield and reliability improvements.

Connaissances

Analytical skills

Team oriented

Data-driven

Formation

Master’s or PhD in Photonics/Optical/Electrical Physics

Outils

Lumerical

PhotonDesign

COMSOL

IPKISS

GDSFactory

Description du poste

As a Senior Photonic Design Engineer, you are responsible for designing, simulating, and optimizing integrated photonic circuits and lasers for advanced semiconductor applications. Your focus is on translating system requirements into robust photonic designs, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, and supporting the development of innovative photonic technologies from concept through production. Through modelling, design verification, and continuous improvement, you contribute to high-performance, manufacturable, and reliable photonic solutions.

Your Responsibilities

• Design and optimize III-V devices, including semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) and semiconductor laser sources.
• Design misalignment-tolerant coupling structures and mode transformers that enable efficient light coupling between active devices and photonic waveguides.
• Perform optical, electrical, and thermal modelling and simulation to predict and validate device performance.
• Develop and maintain design rules, process design kits (PDK), and compact models for active building blocks.
• Analyze characterization data to close the loop between design, fabrication, and measured performance, and drive continuous improvement.
• Support productization, documenting designs and contributing to yield and reliability improvements.

Qualifications And Experience

• Master’s degree or PhD in Photonics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• 5+ years experience in integrated photonics design.
• Experience with photonic and semiconductor device design and simulation tools (e.g. Lumerical, PhotonDesign, COMSOL, or equivalent).
• Deep understanding of semiconductor device physics, in particular III-V semiconductor lasers.
• Experience with photonic circuit layout (e.g. IPKISS, GDSFactory).
• Familiarity with photonic integrated circuit platforms.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, combined with a structured, data-driven, and team-oriented mindset.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across design-, process-, test- and product teams in a fast-paced foundry environment.
• Fluent in English; knowledge of Dutch or French is considered an advantage.

What We Offer

• Competitive salary package aligned with Belgian industry standards.
• Opportunity to work with cutting-edge photonic semiconductor technologies.
• A dynamic and innovative engineering environment with strong growth potential.
• International workplace culture with English as the primary language.