Photonic Circuit Design Engineer

Opticore; Berkeley (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading photonics innovator in Berkeley seeks an experienced professional to own the design and simulation of photonic integrated circuits. You will manage end-to-end processes from design through layout and tape-out, collaborating with various teams to ensure specifications are met. Candidates should have over 5 years of relevant experience and familiarity with tools like Lumerical and Cadence. A strong background in silicon photonics is essential for this role.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in photonic integrated circuit design.
• Proficiency in Lumerical, Cadence, Synopsys, and KLayout.
• Strong track record in industry or relevant research.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate photonic devices and circuits.
• Own layout, DRC/LVS, and tape-out for photonic designs.
• Work across teams to ensure design meets system-level requirements.

Skills

Design and simulate photonic devices and circuits

Tape-out for photonic designs

Collaboration across teams

Understanding of silicon photonics device physics

Education

5+ years of experience in photonic integrated circuit design

Tools

Lumerical

Cadence

Synopsys

KLayout

Job description

You will own the design, simulation, and tape-out of photonic integrated circuits at the core of our computing platform. This is a hands‑on, end‑to‑end role from device‑level design through layout, verification, and working directly with foundry partners to bring chips to silicon. You will collaborate closely with our EIC design, packaging, and measurements teams.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and simulate photonic devices and circuits (waveguides, modulators, detectors, couplers, etc.)
• Own layout, DRC/LVS, and tape‑out for photonic designs end‑to‑end
• Work across teams to ensure photonic designs meet system‑level electrical and optical requirements
• Interface with the packaging team on photonic assembly and integration constraints
• Collaborate with the measurements team to define and support device characterization

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in photonic integrated circuit design
• Proficiency in Lumerical, Cadence, Synopsys, and KLayout
• Demonstrated experience owning tape‑outs from design through tape‑out
• Deep understanding of silicon photonics device physics
• Strong track record in industry; candidates with photonics research backgrounds (PhD/postdoc) will also be considered

Even Better If You Have

• Experience with co‑packaged optics or photonic‑electronic integration
• Familiarity with high‑speed electro‑optic modulator design