Senior Scientist II (Photonics), IME

A*STAR - Agency for Science, Technology and Research; Singapore; On-site; SGD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A*STAR in Singapore seeks a Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist to lead next-generation silicon photonics technology development within NSTIC. You will guide multidisciplinary teams spanning design, fabrication, testing, packaging, and system integration, aligning with strategic planning and capability building.

The role requires a PhD and 8+ years of experience in photonic device design, PIC development, and related fabrication/characterization, with strong leadership and collaboration

Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Materials Science, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related discipline.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, fabrication, and characterization of silicon photonic devices, PICs, and subsystems.
• Drive technology development and process optimization through DOE, process characterization, yield improvement, and data-driven analysis.
• Oversee wafer-level, device-level, and system-level testing to validate performance and ensure successful technology transfer and product development.
• Lead multidisciplinary R&D projects involving photonic design, fabrication, packaging, and system integration, ensuring quality execution and on-time delivery.
• Manage collaborations with industry partners, customers, universities, and research institutes, while contributing to business development and roadmapping.
• Mentor and guide scientists and engineers, support capability development and recruitment, and contribute to departmental operations.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, patents, and publications for internal reviews, customers, conferences, and journals.

Skills

Leadership

Program management

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

PhD in Electrical Engineering or related field

Job description

Job Description

Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist – Next-Generation Silicon Photonics Technology Development

As part of the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Center (NSTIC), the candidate will provide technical and program leadership in the development of advanced silicon photonics technologies and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for next-generation optical interconnect, AI/HPC, datacom, telecom, and sensing applications. The candidate will lead multidisciplinary teams spanning design, fabrication, testing, packaging, and system integration, while supporting strategic planning, project execution, and capability development within the Silicon Photonics Department. The successful candidate is expected to serve as a key technical leader in Silicon Photonics Department for various technology developments.

Job Description

Senior Scientist / Principal Scientist – Next-Generation Silicon Photonics Technology Development

As part of the National Semiconductor Translation and Innovation Center (NSTIC), the candidate will provide technical and program leadership in the development of advanced silicon photonics technologies and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for next-generation optical interconnect, AI/HPC, datacom, telecom, and sensing applications. The candidate will lead multidisciplinary teams spanning design, fabrication, testing, packaging, and system integration, while supporting strategic planning, project execution, and capability development within the Silicon Photonics Department. The successful candidate is expected to serve as a key technical leader in Silicon Photonics Department for various technology developments.

Job Responsibilities

• Lead the design, development, fabrication, and characterization of silicon photonic devices, PICs, and subsystems, including modulators, photodetectors, passive devices, and high-speed optical transceivers.
• Drive technology development and process optimization through Design of Experiments (DOE), process characterization, yield improvement, and data-driven analysis.
• Oversee wafer-level, device-level, and system-level testing to validate performance and ensure successful technology transfer and product development.
• Lead multidisciplinary R&D projects involving photonic design, fabrication, packaging, and system integration, ensuring quality execution and on-time delivery of project milestones.
• Manage collaborations with industry partners, customers, universities, and research institutes, while contributing to business development, proposal preparation, and technology roadmapping activities.
• Mentor and guide scientists and engineers, support capability development and recruitment, and contribute to departmental operations and strategic planning.
• Prepare technical reports, presentations, patents, and publications for internal reviews, customers, conferences, and journals.

Rquirements

Job Requirements

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Materials Science, Semiconductor Engineering, or a related discipline.
• At least 8 years of relevant experience in photonic device design, PIC development, semiconductor fabrication, and optical/electrical characterization, with a proven track record of leading R&D projects and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong understanding of silicon photonics process integration, foundry technologies, and technology development methodologies.
• Proven experience leading multidisciplinary R&D projects and managing technical teams.
• Experience in optical transceivers, photonic heterogeneous integration, advanced packaging, co-packaged optics (CPO), or related technologies is highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to manage stakeholder relationships and drive projects from concept to system demonstration and technology transfer.
• Strong communication, presentation, project management, and leadership skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams.