Integrated Photonics Device Engineer

Ignite Next GmbH; Zürich; Hybrid; CHF 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity participation (ESOP)

Job summary

Aylight, based in Zurich, is seeking an Integrated Photonics Device Engineer to push high-speed modulator design from concept through tapeout to rigorous characterization. You will bridge physics simulations with manufacturable hardware and own the device domain from start to finish.

The role requires a PhD or equivalent in photonics/EE/applied physics, hands-on PIC design (silicon/InP), and strong experience with modulators and photonic simulation tools.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in photonics, electrical engineering, or applied physics with a focus on integrated photonics or optoelectronics.
• Hands-on photonic integrated circuit design (silicon photonics, InP).
• Experience designing electro-optic modulators (EAM or MZM) in III-V platforms.
• Strong simulation skills with FDTD/EME or equivalent tools (Lumerical, COMSOL, Tidy3D or custom).
• Familiarity with foundry PDKs, DRC/LVS verification, and tapeout submission workflows.

Responsibilities

• Own the full loop from concept to tapeout to characterization of integrated photonics devices.
• Bridge physics simulation and manufacturable hardware in collaboration with fabrication teams.
• Contribute to AI-assisted design and automated design exploration pipelines for geometry-performance optimization.

Skills

Integrated photonics design

Photonic IC design (silicon/InP)

Electro-optic modulator design

FDTD/EME simulation

Foundry PDKs & tapeout workflows

Tapeout submission

Optical/electro-optic characterization

InP/Silicon photonics

Education

PhD in photonics/EE/applied physics

Tools

Lumerical

COMSOL

Tidy3D

Job description

Integrated Photonics Device Engineer at Aylight — Zurich, CHProgramPortfolioPartnersAboutJobsCommunity1. Home2. Jobs3. Integrated Photonics Device Engineer# Integrated Photonics Device EngineerAylightZurich, CHTech & EngineeringApply at AylightYou will push the boundaries of high-speed modulator design, bridge the gap between physics simulation and manufacturable hardware, and own the full loop from concept to tapeout to characterisation. Requirements PhD or equivalent in photonics, electrical engineering, or applied physics with a focus on integrated photonics or optoelectronics Hands-on photonic integrated circuit design (silicon photonics, InP) Experience designing electro-optic modulators (EAM or MZM) in III-V platforms Strong simulation skills: FDTD, EME, or equivalent photonic simulation tools (Lumerical, COMSOL, Tidy3D, or custom) Familiarity with foundry PDKs, DRC/LVS verification, and tapeout submission workflows AI-assisted design and development workflows — LLM-aided layout scripting, automated parameter sweeps, and agentic simulation pipelines that close the geometry-to-performance loop with minimal manual iteration Experimental characterisation of photonic devices — optical, electro-optic, and RF Strong plus Opto-electronic co-design pushing the limits of modulator bandwidth Compact model development for circuit-level PIC simulation Knowledge of DWDM system requirements and datacenter optical interconnects InP foundry tapeout experience with major III-V MPW platforms Background in optical frequency combs and optical communication systems What we offer Competitive salary with meaningful early-stage equity participation (ESOP) Direct contribution to a world-class InP photonic platform at an ETH Zürich deep-tech spinoff Small team, zero bureaucracy — full ownership of your device domain from day one World-class lab infrastructure and compute resources in Zurich Office in central Zurich — Europe's deep-tech capital Apply — Integrated Photonics Device Engineer JOIN US Full name Email LinkedIn / Website Cover note CV / Résumé Choose file PDF or DOC · max 10 MB We use what you send here to assess your application for this role. Please do not include health, religious, political or other special-category information. See our privacy policy for retention periods, transfer safeguards and your rights. Submit application →Apply at AylightThis role is listed because Aylight is part of the Ignite Next portfolio. Applications are handled by Aylight directly — Ignite Next does not receive your application, screen candidates or act as a recruiter.