Associate VP Optical / Photonic System Architecture

PER International; California (MO); On-site; USD 180,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

PER International represents a major global semiconductor company in the San Jose Bay Area seeking a senior system-level architect for a Co-Packaged Optics program. The role will own architecture across the full optical interconnect stack, from concept through high-volume manufacturing.

The ideal candidate will have deep experience with Co-Packaged Optics, Silicon Photonics, and system-level packaging decisions, leading multi-disciplinary teams across locations in the US and Taiwan.

Qualifications

• Deep experience with Co-Packaged Optics and optical I/O for data center or AI infrastructure projects.
• Strong understanding of Silicon Photonics, PIC design, and PIC-plus-EIC integration including drivers, TIAs, SerDes, and DSP.
• Track record of taking optical/photonic hardware from architecture through volume production.
• Experience with advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and system-level consequences of packaging decisions.
• Hands-on technical leadership with ability to lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Define system-level optical architecture for CPO and optical I/O around advanced compute silicon.
• Make architectural trade-offs across PIC, EIC, lasers, packaging, and optical link subsystems.
• Direct and mentor specialist leads in photonic IC, packaging, validation, and firmware areas.
• Drive architecture decisions from concept through EVT, DVT, qualification, to high-volume manufacturing.
• Collaborate across US and Taiwan engineering teams and with senior executives and ecosystem partners.

Skills

Co-Packaged Optics

PIC design

Silicon Photonics

System architecture leadership

Packaging & integration

Job description

Our client is building a next-generation optical connectivity platform for AI and datacenter compute, and needs a senior system-level architect to lead it. This is a rare opportunity to own the architecture of a co-packaged optics program from concept through volume production at a major global semiconductor company.

Our client is a major global semiconductor company with significant US engineering operations in the San Jose Bay Area. They are investing heavily in optical and photonic technologies, building capability that spans semiconductor, photonics, and system architecture layers for AI infrastructure and hyperscale datacenter applications.

The Photonics organisation is being built from the ground up, and this hire is the foundational technical leadership role around which specialist teams will be formed and grown.

You will serve as the system-level technical authority for the company's next-generation Photonics and Co-Packaged Optics platform, making architectural decisions across the full optical interconnect stack.

• Define system-level optical architecture for CPO and optical I/O around advanced compute silicon
• Make architectural trade-offs across PIC, EIC, lasers, packaging, and optical link subsystems
• Direct and challenge specialist technical leads in photonic IC, packaging, validation, and firmware areas
• Drive architecture decisions from concept through EVT, DVT, qualification, and high-volume manufacturing
• Collaborate across US and Taiwan engineering teams and with senior executives and ecosystem partners
• Help build and technically shape the growing Photonics organisation

What we are looking for:

• Deep experience with Co-Packaged Optics and optical I/O for datacenter or AI infrastructure applications
• Strong understanding of Silicon Photonics, PIC design, and PIC-plus-EIC integration including drivers, TIAs, SerDes, and DSP
• Track record of taking optical or photonic hardware through the full lifecycle from architecture to volume production
• Experience with advanced packaging, heterogeneous integration, and the system-level consequences of packaging decisions
• Hands-on technical leadership background with demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams