Photonic Design Engineer

Acceler8 Talent; Boston, Northern (MA, KY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Acceler8 Talent is partnering with a venture-backed startup to build a new photonic compute platform for AI. As a Photonic Design Engineer, you will join as an early technical hire and help drive development across the full design lifecycle—from simulation and layout to tapeout, characterization, and prototype bring-up.

You will bring a PhD in Photonics/Optics/EE/Physics, hands-on experience with photonic devices, proficiency in tools like Lumerical, Ansys, Tidy3D, or RSoft, and a track record

Qualifications

• PhD in Photonics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Experience designing, simulating, and testing integrated photonic devices.
• Experience with tools such as Lumerical, Ansys, Tidy3D, RSoft, or similar.
• At least one successful tapeout.
• Python experience.

Responsibilities

• Join as an early technical hire and contribute across the full design lifecycle from simulation and layout through tapeout, characterization, and prototype bring-up.
• Develop and optimize photonic platforms to deliver performance improvements in AI hardware.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to translate physics and device physics into manufacturable designs.

Skills

Python

Education

PhD in Photonics/Optics/EE/Physics

Tools

Lumerical

Ansys

Tidy3D

RSoft

Job description

Acceler8 is parterned with a well-funded, venture-backed startup that's building a completely new photonic compute platform for AI. Using a combination of silicon photonics with III-V components, they're taking a fundamentally different approach to AI hardware with the goal of delivering dramatic improvements in performance and power efficiency.

As a Photonic Design Engineer, you will join as one of the company's earliest technical hires. You'll play a key role in developing the photonic platform, working across the full design lifecycle from simulation and layout through tapeout, characterization, and prototype bring-up.

You’ll bring:

• PhD in Photonics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
• Experience designing, simulating, and testing integrated photonic devices
• Experience with tools such as Lumerical, Ansys, Tidy3D, RSoft, or similar
• At least one successful tapeout
• Python experience

Bonus experience:

• PIC layout and layout automation
• Hands-on photonic chip testing and characterization
• Semiconductor laser design