High-Speed Photodetector Design Architect

OpenLight Photonics Inc.; Santa Clara (CA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

OpenLight Photonics Inc. is seeking an experienced engineer to lead design, simulation, layout, and characterization of next‑gen high‑speed photodetectors. You will drive device physics, RF behavior, and optical performance for Ge-on-Si and heterogeneous III-V/Si detectors.

You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, interface with waferFoundries, and take components from concept to high‑volume production. Strong background in optoelectronic devices and advanced simulation is required.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Optics or related field with emphasis on optoelectronic devices or high-speed physics.
• 3+ years of industry experience in high-speed, integrated photodetector design, processing, and testing
• Proficient with high-speed device simulations and circuit design tools (e.g., Ansys HFSS, CST, ADS, Sentaurus TCAD, Crosslight)
• Solid grounding in RF/microwave concepts, including transmission line theory, impedance matching, and parasitic RC parameter extraction
• Direct experience with Ge epitaxial growth or III-V on silicon bonding techniques
• Proficiency in Python or equivalent for automated layout generation (e.g., Luceda IPKISS)
• Experience using JMP and/or Python/SQL to parse automated wafer-level test data
• Familiarity with post-silicon testing protocols for optical transceivers (BER, eye diagrams)
• Experience with RF characterization of photonic devices is a plus
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills in fast-paced team environments
• Excellent written and verbal communication for technical documentation

Responsibilities

• Design, simulate, and optimize active photonic components, focusing on high-bandwidth PIN, APD, and wave-guided detectors.
• Use optical simulation tools to model carrier transport dynamics, transit time limits, quantum efficiency, and dark current.
• Model high-speed RF electrode configurations and matching transitions for data rates up to 200 Gbps per lane and beyond.
• Own custom mask layouts (GDS/OASIS) within automated design environments with strict DRC and LVS adherence.
• Collaborate with fab process integration to optimize corners, epitaxy parameters, and implant profiles for higher wafer yields.
• Partner with validation and test teams to perform electro-optic characterization, extracting S21/S11, responsivity, and reliability metrics.

Skills

High-speed photodetector design

RF/microwave concepts

Python scripting

Device simulations

Wafer-level testing

Education

Ph.D./M.S. in EE/Physics/Photonics/Optics

Tools

Ansys HFSS

CST

ADS

Sentaurus TCAD

Crosslight

Luceda IPKISS

Python/SQL

Job description

OpenLight Photonics Inc. is seeking an experienced engineer to lead design, simulation, layout, and characterization of next‑gen high‑speed photodetectors. You will drive device physics, RF behavior, and optical performance for Ge-on-Si and heterogeneous III-V/Si detectors.

You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams, interface with waferFoundries, and take components from concept to high‑volume production. Strong background in optoelectronic devices and advanced simulation is required.