Manager, Photonic Integrated Circuit Design

5V Tech; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 252,000 - 308,000; Full time

Job summary

5V Tech in San Francisco seeks a Manager, Photonic Integrated Circuit Design to lead PIC design and test across multiple product lines, guiding a team from tape-out to volume shipment.

You will work closely with packaging, RF, DSP, reliability and operations, making the technical calls to accelerate new optical engines and drive performance, yield and reliability.

Hybrid work arrangement applies; salary up to $280,000 base plus equity (DOE) and strong growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• 8+ years in integrated photonics, with at least 3 years leading engineers or technical programmes.
• Deep hands-on experience designing modulators, photodetectors, waveguides and couplers in silicon photonics.
• A track record of taking multiple PIC designs through tape-out and into product.
• Expertise in high-frequency RF and electro-optic measurement, including VNA/LCA, DCA, BERT and OSA.
• Proficiency with Lumerical, RSoft, HFSS or similar simulation tools.
• Strong data analysis skills using Python or MATLAB.
• Experience working cross-functionally with packaging, electronics and manufacturing teams.
• PhD or MS in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optics or a related field

Responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and grow a team of PIC design and test engineers
• Own the design, simulation and layout of coherent and IMDD photonic integrated circuits
• Drive multiple tape-outs per year with silicon photonics foundry partners, from PDK selection to tape-out sign-off
• Set the strategy for optical, RF and electro-optic characterisation at wafer, die and module level
• Lead root-cause analysis and design iteration to improve performance, yield and reliability
• Partner with packaging, electronics and DVT and supply chain teams to deliver new product introductions on schedule
• Build automated test and data-analysis workflows that scale with production volumes
• Contribute to the technical roadmap for 1.6T, 3.2T and co-packaged optics products

Skills

Leadership experience

Silicon photonics

Tape-out to product

RF & EO measurement

Python/MATLAB

Education

PhD or MS in Physics / EE / Optics

Tools

Lumerical

RSoft

HFSS

OSA

Job description

Manager, Photonic Integrated Circuit Design

Up to $280,000 base + equity (DOE)

Hybrid setting

About the company

This company is a fast-growing optical interconnect business, backed by leading deep-tech investors and already shipping into some of the world's largest data centre operators. As AI clusters grow, bandwidth between chips and racks has become the bottleneck, and the company's integrated optical engines are designed to remove it. They combine coherent and IMDD photonics with high-volume foundry partnerships and are scaling rapidly from early production into hyperscale deployment. The photonics team is the core of the business, and its next generation of products is now being defined.

About the role

This is a hands-on leadership role for a photonics engineer who wants to build and lead a team while staying close to the technology. You'll own PIC design and test across multiple product lines, leading a group of design and characterisation engineers through tape-outs, bring-up and new product introduction. Working closely with packaging, RF, DSP, reliability and operations teams, you'll make the technical calls that decide how quickly new optical engines move from first silicon to volume shipment.

Key responsibilities

• Lead, mentor and grow a team of PIC design and test engineers
• Own the design, simulation and layout of coherent and IMDD photonic integrated circuits
• Drive multiple tape-outs per year with silicon photonics foundry partners, from PDK selection to tape-out sign-off
• Set the strategy for optical, RF and electro-optic characterisation at wafer, die and module level
• Lead root-cause analysis and design iteration to improve performance, yield and reliability
• Partner with packaging, electronics, DVT and supply chain teams to deliver new product introductions on schedule
• Build automated test and data-analysis workflows that scale with production volumes
• Contribute to the technical roadmap for 1.6T, 3.2T and co-packaged optics products

Ideal profile

• 8+ years in integrated photonics, with at least 3 years leading engineers or technical programmes
• Deep hands-on experience designing modulators, photodetectors, waveguides and couplers in silicon photonics
• A track record of taking multiple PIC designs through tape-out and into product
• Expertise in high-frequency RF and electro-optic measurement, including VNA/LCA, DCA, BERT and OSA
• Proficiency with Lumerical, RSoft, HFSS or similar simulation tools
• Strong data analysis skills using Python or MATLAB
• Experience working cross-functionally with packaging, electronics and manufacturing teams
• PhD or MS in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Optics or a related field

Preferred qualifications

• Experience with coherent optics such as ZR or ZR+ modules
• Exposure to co-packaged optics or heterogeneous integration
• Experience with novel modulator platforms such as thin-film lithium niobate or electro-optic polymersBackground in automating test to increase throughput
• Experience supporting products through volume manufacturing