PIC Designer

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

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment in Vancouver, Canada is seeking a PIC Design Engineer to develop optical coupling solutions and PIC workflows for next‑generation photonic integrated circuits. You will work with cross‑functional teams to design, simulate, and validate photonic devices and layouts.

The role emphasizes collaboration, documentation, and delivering manufacturable photonics solutions, with a focus on silicon photonics, lasers, and optical fibres.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of experience designing photonic components, PICs or optical systems.
• Experience with silicon photonics, lasers, optical fibres and integrated photonic devices.
• Strong Python programming skills for automation and data analysis.
• Experience using electromagnetic simulation tools (FDTD, Beam Propagation, Ray Tracing or similar).
• Experience with GDSII layout tools (e.g. KLayout, L-Edit) and photonic foundry PDKs.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate optical coupling solutions for lasers, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and optical fibres.
• Develop and optimise PIC layouts using industry-standard layout tools and foundry PDKs.
• Build simulation workflows for photonic device design and optimisation.
• Collaborate with optical, packaging, manufacturing and software engineers to develop manufacturable products.
• Produce technical documentation including test plans, reports and design documentation.
• Present technical progress and support product development from concept through validation.

Skills

Python

FDTD

Ray Tracing

GDSII

KLayout

L-Edit

Documentation

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering/Physics/Photonics

Tools

KLayout

L-Edit

GDSII

PDK access

Job description

PIC Design Engineer

Location: Vancouver, Canada (On-site)
Position Type: Full-Time

A well-funded deep-tech startup is developing advanced manufacturing technology for next-generation photonic systems. The company is creating innovative optical packaging and coupling solutions that improve the performance and scalability of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for applications including AI infrastructure, high-performance computing, quantum technologies, sensing, and optical communications.

As the company scales from R&D to commercialisation, they are looking for a Photonics Engineer to develop optical simulation workflows, design photonic coupling solutions, and support the development of next-generation PIC technologies.

What You’ll Do

• Design and simulate optical coupling solutions for lasers, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and optical fibres.
• Develop and optimise PIC layouts using industry-standard layout tools and foundry PDKs.
• Build simulation workflows for photonic device design and optimisation.
• Collaborate with optical, packaging, manufacturing and software engineers to develop manufacturable products.
• Produce technical documentation including test plans, reports and design documentation.
• Present technical progress and support product development from concept through validation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of experience designing photonic components, PICs or optical systems.
• Experience with silicon photonics, lasers, optical fibres and integrated photonic devices.
• Strong Python programming skills for automation and data analysis.
• Experience using electromagnetic simulation tools (FDTD, Beam Propagation, Ray Tracing or similar).
• Experience with GDSII layout tools (e.g. KLayout, L-Edit) and photonic foundry PDKs.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using optical test equipment such as lasers, optical power meters and spectrum analysers.
• Knowledge of photonic packaging, hybrid integration or optical assembly.
• Experience developing simulation or design automation workflows.
• Experience supporting the transition of new technologies from R&D into commercial products.
• Previous experience within a startup, industrial R&D or research environment.