Photonics Product Engineering Lead

Darwin Recruitment; Quebec; On-site; CAD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Annual performance bonus

Equity opportunities

Medical insurance

Relocation support may be available

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is seeking a PhD-level Photonics Product Engineer to lead validation of high-speed silicon photonics and optical systems from prototype through production. You will work across 100G, 200G and 400G architectures, collaborating with photonics design, process, packaging and test teams to ensure product maturity.

The role emphasizes hands-on validation, characterization planning, and data-driven decision making, with exposure to wafer- and system-level testing and design-for-test

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s/Master’s/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Optical Engineering or Physics.
• Experience designing, characterizing or validating silicon photonics / PICs and high-speed optical devices.
• Strong understanding of modulators, photodetectors, lasers, couplers and wavelength multiplexers.
• Hands-on experience with high-speed optical, electrical and RF test equipment.
• Experience with 100G, 200G and/or 400G optical systems.
• Understanding of link budgets, eye diagrams, BER and PAM4/coherent signaling.
• Experience correlating first-silicon results with specifications and models.
• Strong data analysis and statistical characterization skills.
• Experience with Python and/or MATLAB for test automation and data analysis.
• Understanding of design-for-test and production ramp considerations.

Responsibilities

• Lead validation of high-speed photonic devices and optical systems, from devices through full specs.
• Develop and execute device- and system-level characterization plans for modulators, photodetectors, waveguides and multiplexers.
• Characterize wafer-, package- and system-level performance against product specifications.
• Define test structures, experiments and measurement methodologies across process, voltage and temperature.
• Perform detailed analysis of link budgets, bandwidth, insertion loss, crosstalk, extinction ratio, BER and power efficiency.
• Support 100G, 200G and 400G per-lane optical architectures (PAM4 and/or coherent signaling).
• Support first-silicon bring-up, wafer-level and module-level characterization, and correlate simulation and production measurements.
• Identify performance gaps and feed silicon learning back into device design, models, PDKs and process targets.
• Drive design-for-manufacturability and design-for-test improvements for robust yield and scalable production.
• Document validation results and product maturity for design reviews, qualification and production release.
• Work with multidisciplinary teams across photonics design, process, packaging, assembly and test.

Skills

Data analysis

Python

MATLAB

Test automation

Cross-functional teamwork

Education

Electrical/Photonics degree

Tools

VNA

OSA

BER tester

BERT

Oscilloscope

Power meter

Wafer probe station

Job description

Photonics Product Engineer – High-Speed Optical Characterization

The Opportunity

We are looking for a Photonics Product Engineer to lead the validation and characterization of high-speed silicon photonics and optical systems, supporting the transition from first-silicon prototypes through product maturity and production.

This is a hands-on, system-level role working across 100G, 200G and 400G optical architectures, with close interaction between photonics design, process, packaging, assembly and test teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead validation of high-speed photonic devices and optical systems, from individual devices through full system specifications.

• Develop and execute device- and system-level characterization and validation plans for modulators, photodetectors, waveguides, couplers and wavelength multiplexers.

• Characterize and correlate wafer-, package- and system-level performance against product specifications.

• Define test structures, experiments and measurement methodologies across process, voltage and temperature conditions.

• Perform detailed analysis of link budgets, bandwidth, insertion loss, crosstalk, extinction ratio, BER and power efficiency.

• Support 100G, 200G and 400G per-lane optical architectures, including PAM4 and/or coherent signaling.

• Support first-silicon bring-up, wafer-level and module-level characterization, and correlate simulation, silicon and production measurements.

• Identify performance gaps and feed silicon learning back into device design, models, PDKs and process targets.

• Drive design-for-manufacturability and design-for-test improvements to support robust yield and scalable production.

• Document validation results and product maturity to support design reviews, qualification and production release.

• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams across photonics design, process, packaging, assembly and test.

Required Experience

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Optical Engineering, Physics or a related discipline.

• Experience designing, characterizing or validating silicon photonics / PICs and high-speed optical devices.

• Strong understanding of optical devices including modulators, photodetectors, lasers, couplers and wavelength multiplexers.

• Hands-on experience with high-speed optical, electrical and RF test equipment, such as:

  • Vector Network Analyzers (VNAs)

  • Optical Spectrum Analyzers (OSAs)

  • BER testers / BERTs

  • High-speed oscilloscopes

  • Optical power and wavelength meters

  • Wafer probe stations

• Experience with 100G, 200G and/or 400G optical systems.

• Understanding of link budgets, eye diagrams, BER and PAM4 and/or coherent signaling.

• Experience correlating first-silicon results with specifications and models.

• Strong data analysis and statistical characterization skills.

• Experience with Python and/or MATLAB for test automation and data analysis.

• Understanding of design-for-test, design-for-manufacturability and production ramp considerations.

• Strong communication skills and the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams.

What We Offer

• Competitive base salary

• Annual performance bonus

• Equity opportunities

• Medical insurance

• Relocation support may be available depending on location and eligibility