Photonic System Maverick (Engineer)

Mavericks Photonics; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity stock option grant (0.5-1.25%)

Job summary

Mavericks Photonics, a Stanford spin-off based in San Francisco, seeks a founding Photonic Systems Engineer to lead the opto-electronic system powering our record-setting sensors. You will design, build, and calibrate the full sensor pipeline from optical sources to processing electronics, guiding prototypes toward high-altitude flight readiness.

The role demands hands-on expertise in low-noise analog/digital electronics, optical interferometry, and PCB design, with strong teamwork and

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Applied Physics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Solid foundation in optical interferometry (impact of source, optics, detectors, and electronics on performance).
• Experience with low-noise analog & mixed-signal circuits, including simulation and PCB design (SPICE, Altium, KiCad).
• Experimental background in building optical setups, data collection, and tracing sources of noise and drift.
• Strong teamwork, communication & presentation skills (oral and written).

Responsibilities

• Interrogation system design: Design & build the opto-electronic architecture powering photonic sensor chips.
• Analog & mixed-signal circuit design: Design, simulate & build low-noise optical receivers, digitizers, and control circuits.
• System calibration: Characterize and calibrate the integrated system’s sensitivity, noise, and drift.
• Noise mitigation: Identify and mitigate sources of optical & electronic noise, and thermal drifts.
• Flight prototyping: Prepare the first flight-ready prototypes for high-altitude deployments.
• Documentation & communication: Document the system from design to deployment and present your work.

Skills

Optical interferometry

Analog & mixed-signal design

PCB design

Data collection & noise analysis

Collaboration & communication

Education

MS or PhD in Applied Physics/Physics/EE

Tools

SPICE

Altium

KiCad

Job description

At Mavericks Photonics, a Stanford spin-off, we believe the future of integrated sensor technologies is all-optical. We are building advanced photonic-integrated inertial and perception sensors to target assured navigation and situational awareness in GPS-denied and remote environments. Current chip-scale electronic systems lack the precision and stability needed for extended autonomous missions or external-source localization, and high-performance alternatives are too heavy and expensive for large-scale deployment. Our chip-scale interferometric structures overcome the intrinsic noise limitations of traditional systems and have demonstrated record-setting resolution in acceleration and acoustic sensing. We are shrinking bulky, lab-grade instruments into matchbox-sized photonic systems for intelligent platforms to autonomously navigate and sense the world's most demanding environments.

Role Overview

As our founding Photonic Systems Engineer, you will lead the development of the compact opto-electronic system that powers our record-setting sensors and converts their output photons into information bits. This role spans the entire sensor pipeline, from optical sources to detection, digitization, and processing systems.

This is a hands-on role that requires a strong knowledge of optical measurement techniques and the design of low-noise detection and processing electronics. You will work with the founding team at our San Francisco headquarters to build prototypes and calibrate their sensitivity, noise, and drift. The system you build will fly to the stratosphere within a year.

Key Responsibilities

• Interrogation system design: Design & build the opto-electronic architecture powering our photonic sensor chips.
• Analog & mixed-signal circuit design: Design, simulate & build low-noise optical receivers, digitizers, and control circuits.
• System calibration: Characterize and calibrate the integrated system’s sensitivity, noise, and drift.
• Noise mitigation: Identify and mitigate sources of optical & electronic noise, and thermal drifts.
• Flight prototyping: Prepare the first flight-ready prototypes for high-altitude mission deployments.
• Documentation & communication: Document the system from design to deployment and present your work.

Qualifications

Required

• MS or PhD in Applied Physics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Solid foundation in optical interferometry (impact of source, optics, detectors, and electronics on performance).
• Experience with low-noise analog & mixed-signal circuits, including simulation and PCB design (e.g., SPICE, Altium, KiCad).
• Experimental background in building optical setups, collecting data, and tracing sources of noise and drift.
• Strong teamwork, communication & presentation skills (both oral and written).

Preferred

• Knowledgeable in micro/nano-fabrication principles for photonic integration.
• Familiarity with opto-electronic packaging, including power & thermal management systems and CAD design.

Compensation, Benefits & Restrictions

• Equity: 0.5-1.25% stock option grant (fully diluted), with additional milestone-based grants.
• Pay: $100k-$150k, benchmarked to experience.
• ITAR Compliance: Must meet ITAR "U.S. person" eligibility.