Photonic R&D Test Technician

OpenLight Photonics Inc.; Goleta (CA); Hybrid; USD 140,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

incentive stock options (ISOs)

generous insurance support

401k matching

unlimited vacation

spot bonuses

a positive work environment

Job summary

OpenLight Photonics Inc. in Goleta, CA is seeking a skilled photonics test technician to work onsite and support automated wafer-level testing of Silicon Photonics devices and PICs. You will operate wafer probers, load wafers, run test sequences, and help debug data for quality outcomes.

The role requires hands-on lab experience, strong attention to detail, and the ability to work autonomously within a collaborative team. OpenLight offers a hybrid schedule and a competitive compensation package.

Qualifications

• Experience operating automated wafer probers.
• Hands-on lab experience in physics or electrical engineering.
• Strong manual dexterity for sub-micron alignment.
• Ability to work autonomously with minimal supervision.
• Excellent attention to detail and ability to follow complex documentation.

Responsibilities

• Program wafer maps on commercial wafer probers.
• Operate and support wafer-level test stations for silicon photonic devices.
• Load wafers, execute test sequences, and ensure high-quality test execution.
• Perform optical and electronic probe alignment.
• Monitor test outputs and identify anomalies, drift, or unexpected data behavior.
• Proactively flag irregularities to engineers with clear observations.
• Contribute to improving lab workflows, test processes, and data quality.

Skills

Wafer prober operation

Test automation

Sub-micron alignment

Data quality checks

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Physics or Electrical Engineering

Associate degree with industry experience

Tools

Wafer probers

Job description

The Role

We are looking for a highly skilled photonics test technician to work onsite in our Goleta (Santa Barbara), CA office. As a member of OpenLight’s test engineering team, you will work closely with a team of experienced engineers in operating automated test stations to validate the functionality of Silicon Photonics devices and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) at the wafer level, die level, and package level. A strong background in wafer prober operation will put you to the front of the line.

You will be supporting a team of test engineers by maintaining and operating multiple silicon photonic wafer test stations. The work includes wafer prober programming, station operation, wafer management, and interactive debugging.

What You Will Do

• Program wafer maps on commercial wafer probers
• Operate and support wafer-level test stations for silicon photonic active and passive devices
• Load wafers, execute test sequences, and ensure consistent, high-quality test execution
• Perform optical and electronic probe alignment
• Monitor test outputs and identify anomalies, drift, or unexpected behavior in data
• Proactively flag irregularities to engineers, providing clear observations and context
• Contribute to improving lab workflows, test processes, and overall data quality

Your Background Includes

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics or Electrical Engineering, or Associate degree with industry experience
• Experience in operating automated wafer probers
• Hands-on experience in a physics or electrical engineering lab or industry
• Manual dexterity in sub-micron mechanical alignment
• Experience identifying test anomalies, system issues, or data inconsistencies
• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow, and perhaps improve, complex technical documentation
• Ability to thrive autonomously, in a work with minimal supervision

About OpenLight

OpenLight is growing as customer adoption and industry momentum continue to accelerate. The rapid growth of AI and cloud infrastructure is driving unprecedented demand for faster, more energy-efficient optical connectivity. We are addressing this challenge through a platform approach that simplifies the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and accelerates industry adoption.

As part of our team, you will contribute to technologies that enable AI and hyperscale data centers, high-speed optical communications, advanced sensing applications, next-generation photonic integration, and more. Our team is collaborative and fast-moving, and you will have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions across technology, operations, and business growth.

OpenLight continues with a hybrid schedule, with a standard of three days/week in office; you select the days you're in, based on what's best for your work priorities.

OpenLight's salary for technical roles is dependent on the skills and experience of the individual, their primary work location, and other parameters; annual salary will generally be somewhere between $140,000-$240,000. In addition to cash compensation, OpenLight offers

• incentive stock options (ISOs)
• generous insurance support
• 401k matching
• unlimited vacation
• spot bonuses
• a positive work environment

If you are excited about solving challenging problems, advancing cutting-edge technology, and working with a highly collaborative team, we would love to hear from you.