Director of Laser System Development

Neurophos; Sunnyvale (CA); On-site; USD 230,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health coverage

401(k) matching

Stock options

Unlimited PTO

Voluntary benefits

Job summary

Neurophos, a photonics startup, seeks aSenior Director of Laser Systems to lead end-to-end development of high‑power coherent laser systems for data center interconnects and AI compute platforms. You will drive architecture, vendor relationships, and productization while guiding a multidisciplinary team.

The role requires Ph.D. in photonics or related field (MS with experience considered), 12+ years in laser development, and hands-on leadership.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Photonics or related field; MS with extensive experience considered.
• 12+ years in laser and photonic device development; include leadership roles.
• Hands-on experience with high-power semiconductor laser development; iii‑V foundry engagement.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and optimization of high‑power coherent laser systems in the O‑band.
• Define configurations: standalone laser, Laser+SOA, injection-locked systems to meet >300 mW output.
• Own injection-locked dynamics, stability, and control requirements across temperature aging.
• Manage vendor relationships with epi vendors and packaging partners; drive schedules and milestones.
• Drive IP generation and collaborate with academic/national labs to accelerate technology.

Skills

Laser physics

Photonic integration

Leadership

Program management

Vendor management

Education

Ph.D. in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics

MS with extensive industry experience

Tools

Lumerical

VPIphotonics

PICS3D

OSA

Measurement & test equipment

Job description

About Neurophos

The demand for new datacenters and AI compute is rapidly outpacing the planet's energy capacity. Digital solutions are hitting a power wall as we approach the physical limits of traditional silicon. Conquering this bottleneck isn’t about bigger chips or more of them; it means rethinking the fundamental architecture. The industry's current path isn’t going to meet the need, so we took a different approach.

Instead of traditional electronic circuits, we use silicon photonics and an active, programmable metasurface to perform matrix multiplications at the speed of light. Our optical cells are 10,000x smaller than traditional photonic components, enabling unprecedented density. By using photonics instead of electricity, our chips become more efficient as they scale. This architecture will deliver up to 100 times the energy efficiency of existing solutions while significantly improving performance for large‑scale AI inference.

We’ve assembled a world‑class team of industry veterans and recently raised a $110M Series A led by Gates Frontier. Participants include M12 (Microsoft’s Venture Fund), Carbon Direct Capital, Aramco Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Space Capital, and others. We have also been recognized on the EE Times Silicon 100 list for several consecutive years.

Join us and shape the future of computing!

Position Overview

This role will lead Neurophos’ O-band high‑power coherent laser development programs. This is a senior position requiring deep technical expertise in semiconductor laser physics and the ability to drive complex photonic device development from architecture through productization. The Director will own end‑to‑end development of high‑power coherent laser systems—including high‑power laser + SOA (Semiconductor Optical Amplifier) configurations and single‑wavelength injection‑locked laser architectures—designed to meet output power, coherence, and spectral purity requirements for next‑generation optical interconnect and AI compute platforms.

The candidate must have hands‑on experience driving III‑V laser hardware development programs spanning multiple interdependent subsystems — laser die, SOA, driver electronics, coupling optics, thermal management, and module packaging. They must be skilled at planning around long foundry lead times, structuring work to minimize re‑spins, and managing vendor relationships at the epi and process‑spec levels. This role requires the technical depth to own critical path decisions and manage cascade impacts across subsystems.

Location

Austin, TX or San Jose, CA. Full‑time onsite position.

Key Responsibilities

Laser System Architecture & Development

• Lead the design, development, and optimization of high‑power coherent laser systems operating in the O‑band (1260–1360 nm), targeting applications including data center interconnects, and optical AI inference engines.
• Define and drive laser system configurations—including standalone high‑power laser designs, integrated Laser + SOA topologies, and single‑wavelength injection‑locked master‑slave architectures—to achieve high output power targets (e.g., >300 mW fiber‑coupled) with high coherence, narrow linewidth, and low noise.
• For injection‑locked systems, own the locking‑range analysis, injected‑power‑ratio optimization, and stability‑margin assessment across temperature and aging conditions; define feedback and control requirements for maintaining lock, and validate that the electronics solutions meet system‑level specs.
• Understand and manage the coherence trade‑offs introduced by SOA amplification — including phase noise contribution, gain saturation, ASE impact on OSNR, and back‑reflection management — and design system architectures that meet output coherence and power requirements within these constraints.
• Own system‑level trade studies covering optical output power, coherence length, linewidth, RIN, SMSR, locking bandwidth, and wavelength stability across operating conditions.
• Develop and validate device and system models to predict performance and guide design decisions through simulation platforms such as Lumerical, VPIphotonics, PICS3D, or equivalent.

Program & Team Leadership

• Build, lead, and mentor a multidisciplinary laser engineering team spanning laser physics, photonic integration, packaging, and test.
• Define technical roadmaps and milestone‑driven development plans aligned with product schedules and business objectives.
• Drive program execution across in‑house engineering teams and external III‑V foundry and packaging partners; work closely with TPMs on schedule management, vendor coordination, and milestone tracking.
• Lead design reviews, root‑cause failure analyses, and risk mitigation planning for laser subsystems.
• Communicate program status, critical path, technical risks, and resource needs to executive leadership with precision and clarity.

Vendor & Partner Management

• Manage external III‑V foundries, epi vendors, and module assembly partners throughout the development lifecycle.
• Ensure vendor deliverables are properly scoped, tracked, and aligned with internal program milestones; conduct regular reviews and proactively elevate risks.
• Support negotiation and execution of co‑development agreements, statements of work (SOWs), and supply agreements with foundry and component partners.

Technology & Innovation

• Stay at the forefront of O‑band coherent laser technology, including DFB, DBR, MOPA, single‑wavelength injection‑locked systems, and photonic integrated circuit (PIC) approaches on InP and related III‑V platforms.
• Drive IP generation and protect proprietary innovations through patents and trade secrets in laser design, SOA integration, injection locking, and high‑power packaging.
• Identify and cultivate academic, national lab, and industry partnerships to accelerate technology development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a closely related field. M.S. with extensive industry experience will be considered.
• 12+ years of progressive experience in laser and photonic device/system development, with at least 4 years in technical leadership or management roles.
• Demonstrated hands‑on experience with high‑power semiconductor laser development, including design, III‑V foundry engagement, device characterization, and qualification.
• Deep expertise in O‑band laser physics and coherent system integration, including high‑output‑power architectures targeting narrow linewidth, low RIN, and high SMSR.
• Proven track record developing and qualifying Laser + SOA configurations and/or injection‑locked laser systems for high‑power single‑wavelength output (e.g., >300 mW fiber‑coupled).
• System‑level understanding of injection‑locking dynamics: locking bandwidth and its asymmetry, linewidth enhancement factor (α‑factor) and its role in frequency pulling and phase noise, master‑slave optical path design, and stability under varying temperature and drive conditions.
• Ability to define feedback and control requirements for maintaining injection locking over temperature and aging, and to validate that electronics solutions meet system‑level specs — without necessarily designing the control loop directly.
• Understanding of SOA behavior in coherent systems: phase noise contribution, gain saturation, ASE management, back‑reflection risks, and polarization sensitivity — and how to design around these constraints at the system level.
• Experience with III‑V semiconductor epi growth (InP platform), chip processing, and device‑level characterization.
• Strong background in optical system‑level design: fiber coupling, higher power laser packaging.
• Proficiency with test and measurement systems relevant to coherent laser characterization: OSA, frequency/phase noise analyzer, self‑heterodyne linewidth measurement, LIV, locking range characterization, and BERT.

Preferred Skills

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What We Offer

This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in an innovative startup redefining the future of AI hardware. Work on a game‑changing technology at the intersection of photonics and AI as part of a collaborative and brilliant team. You’ll contribute to a platform that redefines computational performance and accelerates the future of artificial intelligence. Come help us bring this transformative technology to the world.

Benefits

• 100% coverage of base health plan premiums for you and your dependents, plus HSA contributions.
• Unlimited PTO. No rigid vacation banks, just a focus on delivery.
• 401(k) matching and stock option opportunities to ensure our success is your success.
• Full suite of voluntary benefits, including Dental, Vision, Life, Hospital, Critical Illness, and Accident insurance.
• Personalized Benefits. Choose the plans that fit your life and take the cash back for those that don’t.