Photonic Design Engineer

black.ai; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 145,000; Full time

Job summary

black.ai is looking for a Photonic Design Engineer to join the PDN Circuit Team in Palo Alto, California. This role involves enhancing design and validation capabilities for PDN PIC development and integrated photodetector projects.

The ideal candidate will hold a Ph.D. or M.S. in a relevant engineering field and possess experience with photonic simulations, as well as hands-on experience in PIC layout. Competitive compensation in the range of $120,000 to $145,000 is offered for this position.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. or M.S. in electrical or optical engineering with relevant experience.
• Strong foundation in device physics, both passive and active.
• Proficient in photonics simulation tools and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Conduct wafer-level data and yield analysis on PDN PIC.
• Design components and model circuits.
• Collaborate on validation with system and packaging teams.

Skills

Integrated photonics device physics

Photonic component and circuit simulation tools

Programming and data analysis using Python

Education

Ph.D. in electrical engineering or optical engineering

M.S. with industry experience

Tools

Lumerical MODE

FDTD

Interconnect

Job description

Job Summary

This position is for a Photonic Design Engineer within the PDN Circuit Team. The role will expand the team’s design, validation, and data analysis capabilities to support the growing demand for PDN PIC development activities including large‑scale data analysis, wafer screening, and system‑level validation. The team is also initiating a new program focused on integrated photodetector development; the engineer will play a key technical role in design, simulation, characterization, and validation, with opportunity to grow into technical ownership.

Responsibilities

• PDN PIC wafer‑level data analysis and yield analysis.
• Component design and modeling.
• Circuit‑level simulation and layout.
• PDN PIC SA validation and collaboration with system and packaging team.
• Photodetector development, including component design, test support, and validation.

Experience / Qualifications

• Ph.D. in electrical engineering, optical engineering, or closely related field; or M.S. with industry experience in integrated photonics or semiconductor device development.
• Strong foundation in integrated photonics device physics, including passive and active devices.
• Proficient in photonic component and circuit simulation tools (e.g., Lumerical MODE, FDTD, Interconnect or equivalent).
• Strong programming, data analysis, and visualization skills using Python‑based environments.
• Hands‑on experience with PIC layout and tape‑out for leading silicon photonics foundries.
• Prior experience in integrated photodetector design and characterization, including device modeling and experimental evaluation of key performance metrics.

Compensation

U.S. Base Pay Range: $120,000 – $145,000 USD

Bay Area Pay Range: $140,000 – $164,000 USD

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.