Senior Scientist II (Advanced Packaging), IME

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research is seeking Research Scientists to work on the development of optical interconnects for next-generation AI clusters. This role focuses on enhancing data transfer efficiency and speed through innovative design and integration approaches.

Successful candidates will engage in groundbreaking research, modeling package architectures, and optimizing thermal performance in AI data centers. Experts in semiconductor packaging and silicon photonics are encouraged to apply.

Qualifications

• Strong expertise in advanced semiconductor packaging.
• Experience with silicon photonics and integrated circuits.
• Proficient in high-speed electrical interface design.
• Knowledge of signal integrity and thermal modelling.
• Familiar with heterogeneous integration techniques.

Responsibilities

• Develop models for advanced package structures.
• Design and simulate high-speed parallel interfaces.
• Conduct simulation-based co-design of technologies.

Skills

Advanced semiconductor packaging

Silicon photonics

High-speed electrical interface design

Signal and power integrity

Thermal modelling and analysis

Heterogeneous integration

Device/package/system co-design

Hardware characterization

Education

PhD in relevant field

Job description

Research Scientists – Optical Interconnects for Next-Generation AI Clusters

We are recruiting Research Scientists to join an ambitious research programme developing the next generation of ultra-high-bandwidth, ultra-energy-efficient optical interconnects for AI clusters.

As AI models continue to scale to trillions of parameters, future AI infrastructure will depend on new interconnect technologies that can move enormous volumes of data between compute and memory nodes with much lower energy consumption. This project focuses on enabling petascale interconnects through advanced 2.5D/3D electronic-photonic integration, targeting optical I/O beyond 100 Tb/s per compute node, up to 10 Tb/s/mm bandwidth density, and ~1 pJ/bit energy efficiency.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of advanced packaging, silicon photonics, high-speed interfaces, thermal design, and AI hardware systems. Successful candidates will contribute to technologies that are highly relevant to the future of hyperscale AI data centres and next-generation computing platforms.

Our project aims to develop a 2.5D/3D integration-ready optical engine platform that brings optical communication much closer to the compute die. By tightly integrating electronic ICs (EICs) and photonic ICs (PICs) using advanced packaging and 3D integration approaches, the programme seeks to overcome the limitations of existing copper links and conventional co-packaged optics.

The Reserach Project Will Explore

• package architecture for dense electrical and optical I/O,
• high-speed EIC-PIC interface design,
• 3D stacked optical engine modelling,
• thermal and link-performance optimization,
• hybrid bonding and heterogeneous integration,
• simulation, characterization, and measurement of integrated modules.

We are particularly interested in candidates who can contribute in one or more of the following areas:

Research Scientist – Package Architecture, Link and Thermal Modelling

You will develop models for advanced package structures and use them in link analysis and thermal design to identify optimized package architectures capable of achieving sub-1 pJ/bit energy efficiency.

Research Scientist – High-Speed Interface and Optical Engine Design

You will design, simulate, and characterize high-speed parallel interfaces between EIC and PIC components, and develop high-level models of 3D stacked optical engines to optimize overall architecture and performance.

Research Scientist – EIC-PIC-Package Co-Design and Module Characterization

You will carry out simulation-based co-design of package, EIC, and PIC technologies to enable complete 3D-integrated systems, and contribute to the characterization and measurement of the resulting modules.

We welcome applicants with strong expertise in one or more of the following:

• advanced semiconductor packaging,
• silicon photonics or photonic integrated circuits,
• high-speed electrical interface design,
• signal and power integrity,
• thermal modelling and analysis,
• heterogeneous integration and hybrid bonding,
• device/package/system co-design,
• hardware characterization and measurement.

Candidates should be motivated by challenging, high-impact research and excited to work on enabling technologies for future AI systems. Early-career researcher and fresh PhD students are welcome to apply.