Technologist R&D Engineer — Optical Design & Computational Photonics

WD; Ulm; On-site; EUR 110,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

WD is the frontier of AI-driven data infrastructure, delivering advanced photonic systems and optical design capabilities. The Principal R&D Engineer will lead cross‑disciplinary teams across device physics, packaging, and process development to shape next‑gen photonic architectures.

The role requires a PhD or equivalent in a related field and 8+ years in optical design, with strong simulation, modeling, and leadership skills to drive innovative solutions from concept to deployment.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in Physics, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Math, or related field.
• 8+ years experience in optical design, computational photonics, or advanced device simulation.
• Strong background in optical simulation and numerical modeling.
• Experience with electromagnetic, optical, thermal, or multiphysics simulation tools.
• Strong programming in Python, MATLAB, or scientific computing environments.
• Ability to connect theoretical modeling with experimental validation and engineering constraints.
• Strong technical leadership and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead optical and multiphysics simulation for next‑gen photonic systems.
• Develop inverse-design and optimization for complex optical structures.
• Build scalable frameworks across optics, thermal, and electrical domains.
• Drive architecture-level tradeoffs and system-level optical design.
• Collaborate with characterization to correlate simulations with data.
• Support co-development between devices, packaging, thermal systems, and photonic integration.
• Develop reduced-order analytical models alongside full simulations.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership in optics.
• Help define AI-assisted photonics workflows and design infra.

Skills

Optical design

Computational photonics

Multiphysics simulation

Python

MATLAB

Leadership

Education

PhD or equivalent in Physics/Photonic/Electrical Engineering/Applied Mathematics

Tools

EM simulation tools

Lumerical FDTD

COMSOL

Job description

WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy.

As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in.

We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide.

This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today.

We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level.

Join us and let’s shape the future of data.

WD is building the infrastructure behind the AI-driven data economy.

As AI scales, so does data. Every interaction, every model, every system generates data that must be stored, managed, and made accessible over time. That’s where we come in.

We combine deep engineering expertise with global-scale manufacturing to deliver the storage systems that make AI possible, powering hyperscale data centers, cloud platforms, and enterprise infrastructure worldwide.

This isn’t theoretical work. It’s real systems, at real scale, people solving some of the hardest challenges in technology today.

We’re looking for people who want to build, solve, and operate at that level.

Join us and let’s shape the future of data.

Job Description

The next era of intelligent systems will require entirely new approaches to photonic device design, optical architectures, simulation, and system integration. Solving these problems demands deep physical intuition, advanced computational modeling, and the ability to bridge simulation with experimental reality.

We are looking for a Principal R&D Engineer to lead advanced optical design and computational photonics development for next-generation semiconductor and photonic systems.

This role combines:

• optical simulation,
• inverse design,
• electro-thermal modeling,
• computational optimization,
• experimental interpretation,
• and system-level co-development.

You will define and drive the optical architecture behind advanced device platforms and work across multidisciplinary teams spanning device physics, packaging, process development, characterization, and system integration.

What you’ll be doing:

• Lead advanced optical and multiphysics simulation activities for next-generation photonic systems.
• Develop inverse-design and optimization methodologies for complex optical structures.
• Build scalable computational frameworks spanning optics, thermal, and electrical domains.
• Drive architecture-level tradeoff studies and system-level optical design decisions.
• Collaborate closely with characterization teams to correlate simulations with experimental measurements.
• Support co-development between devices, packaging, thermal systems, and photonic integration platforms.
• Develop reduced-order analytical models alongside full numerical simulation workflows.
• Mentor engineers and provide technical leadership across optical design and simulation activities.
• Help define future AI-assisted computational photonics workflows and design infrastructure.

Qualifications

What we need to see:

• PhD or equivalent experience in Physics, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, or related field.
• 8+ years experience in optical design, computational photonics, or advanced device simulation.
• Strong background in optical simulation and numerical modeling.
• Experience with electromagnetic, optical, thermal, or multiphysics simulation tools.
• Strong programming capability in Python, MATLAB, or scientific computing environments.
• Ability to connect theoretical modeling with experimental validation and engineering constraints.
• Strong technical leadership and communication skills.

Ways to stand out from the crowd:

• Experience with inverse design or optimization algorithms.
• Experience with semiconductor or integrated photonic devices.
• Strong multiphysics modeling capability.
• AI/ML-assisted simulation or optimization experience.
• Experience bridging device-level and system-level optical design.
• Demonstrated ability to solve difficult first-principles engineering problems.

Additional Information

WD thrives on the power and potential of diversity. As a global company, we believe the most effective way to embrace the diversity of our customers and communities is to mirror it from within. We believe the fusion of various perspectives results in the best outcomes for our employees, our company, our customers, and the world around us. We are committed to an inclusive environment where every individual can thrive through a sense of belonging, respect and contribution.

WD is committed to offering opportunities to applicants with disabilities and ensuring all candidates can successfully navigate our careers website and our hiring process. Please contact us at [e-mail] to advise us of your accommodation request. In your email, please include a description of the specific accommodation you are requesting as well as the job title and requisition number of the position for which you are applying.

Notice To Candidates:

Please be aware that WD and its subsidiaries will never request payment as a condition for applying for a position or receiving an offer employment. Should you encounter any such requests, please report it immediately to WD Ethics Helpline or email [e-mail].