Integrated Photonics Engineer

Azora; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 210,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous equity

Healthcare (vision and dental)

401(k)

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Azora is seeking a highly skilled photonic IC designer to advance PIC technology used in high-sensitivity optical transceivers. You will design, simulate, and characterize devices and modules, shepherding them from foundry tape-out through packaging and system integration.

The role blends hands-on lab work with cross‑disciplinary collaboration in a dynamic hardware environment. Requirements include an MS/PhD in Photonics or related field, 3+ years PIC experience, and proficiency with photonic

Qualifications

• MS/PhD in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field (or equivalent industry experience).
• 3+ years of hands‑on PIC design and characterization experience.
• Proficiency with photonic simulation and layout tools (Lumerical, Synopsys, KLayout, IPKISS, or similar).
• Experience with at least one commercial foundry PDK and tape‑out cycle.
• Strong lab skills: fiber alignment, RF probing, optical test instrumentation (OSA, LCA, tunable lasers).

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate integrated photonic components and circuits: waveguides, couplers, 90° hybrids, MZI modulators, phase shifters, photodetector interfaces, and on‑chip filters.
• Own foundry tape-outs on silicon photonics, SiN, or InP platforms, including DRC, layout, and process design kit (PDK) workflows.
• Develop test plans and carry out wafer‑and chip‑level characterization: insertion loss, polarization behavior, bandwidth, responsivity, and phase noise.
• Work with packaging partners on fiber attach, hermetic packaging, and co‑packaging with electronics for space environments.
• Integrate PICs into coherent and photon‑counting receiver chains and validate end‑to‑end sensitivity against quantum‑limit targets.
• Assess radiation tolerance and thermal behavior of photonic devices for flight applications.
• Collaborate with mixed‑signal and FPGA engineers on driver/TIA interfaces and DSP requirements.

Skills

PIC design

Photonic simulation

Laboratory skills

Team collaboration

Fiber alignment

Education

MS/PhD in Photonics or EE

Tools

Lumerical

Synopsys

KLayout

IPKISS

Job description

Role

Develop the photonic integrated circuit (PIC) technology at the heart of Azora's high-sensitivity optical transceivers. You will design, simulate, and characterize integrated photonic devices and modules; shepherding them from foundry tape-out through packaging and system integration.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate integrated photonic components and circuits: waveguides, couplers, 90° hybrids, MZI modulators, phase shifters, photodetector interfaces, and on‑chip filters.
• Own foundry tape-outs on silicon photonics, SiN, or InP platforms, including DRC, layout, and process design kit (PDK) workflows.
• Develop test plans and carry out wafer‑and chip‑level characterization: insertion loss, polarization behavior, bandwidth, responsivity, and phase noise.
• Work with packaging partners on fiber attach, hermetic packaging, and co‑packaging with electronics for space environments.
• Integrate PICs into coherent and photon‑counting receiver chains and validate end‑to‑end sensitivity against quantum‑limit targets.
• Assess radiation tolerance and thermal behavior of photonic devices for flight applications.
• Collaborate with mixed‑signal and FPGA engineers on driver/TIA interfaces and DSP requirements.

Required Qualifications

• MS/PhD in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field (or equivalent industry experience).
• 3+ years of hands‑on PIC design and characterization experience.
• Proficiency with photonic simulation and layout tools (Lumerical, Synopsys, KLayout, IPKISS, or similar).
• Experience with at least one commercial foundry PDK and tape‑out cycle.
• Strong lab skills: fiber alignment, RF probing, optical test instrumentation (OSA, LCA, tunable lasers).

Preferred

• Experience with coherent optical communications (DP-QPSK/QAM, DSP‑based receivers) and/or photon‑counting detection.
• Familiarity with free‑space‑to‑chip coupling, optical phased arrays, or integrated beam steering.
• Knowledge of space qualification of photonic components (radiation, TVAC, vibration).
• Experience with hybrid integration (III‑V on Si, micro‑transfer printing) or co‑packaged optics.

Location

This is an onsite/hybrid role based in Tempe, AZ or the Bay Area, CA – hardware work that’s hard to do remotely. Some travel expected for field deployment and vendor/manufacturing visits.

Benefits:

• Generous equity
• Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)
• 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO

EEO & Reasonable Accommodations

• Azora is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
• If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know by contacting [e-mail]

Export Control

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (iii) protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Salary ranges are based on the following criteria:

• Final salary is based on geographic location, experience, skills, and qualifications.

About this Company

Azora is building high-bandwidth communications infrastructure for environments where fiber can’t reach. This work spans LEO spacecraft constellations, lunar exploration missions, GEO satcom, deployable optical ground for defense, and data centers both on- and off-world. To enable rapid global proliferation Azora is developing compact and modular optical terminals small enough to deploy from a backpack, and space terminals that support high speed optical links from LEO out to the Moon.