Photonics Development Engineer

NY CREATES; City of Albany (NY); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Vision, and Dental

Competitive Pay and PTO

Flexible Heath Spending and Dependent…

Basic / Optional Life Insurance

Post-Retirement Health Insurance

Employer contribution to retirement

Job summary

The Research Foundation for SUNY in Albany, NY is seeking a Photonics Development Engineer to advance silicon photonics platforms on AIM Photonics research programs. You will execute advanced photonics R&D, collaborate with sponsors, and contribute to reports and patents.

Required qualifications include MS or PhD in relevant engineering/science fields and strong communication skills. The role involves design, testing, and process optimization in a fast-paced lab environment.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Chemical Eng, Materials Sci, Electrical Eng or related field with industry experience.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure and adapt to changing priorities.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.

Responsibilities

• Develop new technologies in a state-of-the-art 300mm R&D foundry.
• Design of experiments and assess impact of photonics processing on device performance.
• Engage with customers/sponsors to understand project requirements and report progress.
• Prepare reports, papers and/or patents; perform design rule checks and waiver reviews.
• Coordinate with vendors and manage third-party IP; analyze measurement and metrology data.
• Contribute to sustaining and continuous improvement to maximize manufacturability and repeatability.

Skills

Excellent communication

Experiment design

Independent and team work

Project execution under pressure

Education

MS in Chemical Eng / Materials Sci / EE

PhD in Chemical Eng / Materials Sci / EE

Tools

KLayout

Lumerical

Ansys

Cadence

Mentor Graphics

Synopsys

Job description

Equal Employment Opportunity/M/F/disability/protected veteran status

Position Title: Photonics Development Engineer

Location: Albany, NY

Category: Engineering

Job Type: Full-Time

Posted On: Thu Sep 10 2026

Job Description:

Position Summary, Photonics Development Engineer

This posting is to hire a Photonics Development Engineer working on our silicon photonics technology platforms that are currently being developed. This position will be focused primarily on the execution of AIM Photonics' research and development programs, and sponsored projects. The candidate will be expected to develop AIM Photonics silicon photonics platforms with funding projects involved with quantum photonics, IIIV laser integrations, sensors development, optical phased array and novel material integration. More about AIM Photonics can be found at https://www.aimphotonics.com/.

Key Responsibilities

• Developing new technologies in a State of the Art 300mm R&D Foundry
• Design of experiments - understanding of photonics and how cleanroom processing can affect optical component performance.
• Interacting with customers, sponsors or development partners to understand the specific requirements of a project and to update on challenges, risks, and progress.
• Writing reports, papers, and/or patents.
• Design rule checking and waiver reviews.
• Handling 3rd party design IP.
• Collection and analysis of measurement, metrology, and inline test data
• Coordinating with vendors such as the mask house, dicing/packaging, and any outsourced processes.
• Process/measurement change requests and change review board (CRB) submissions.
• Sustaining and continuous improvement activities to maximize manufacturability while ensuring stable and repeatable performance.
• Actively participate in team meetings.
• Collaborating with other integration team members.
• Other reasonable duties as assigned

Job Requirements

Minimum Qualifications, Photonics Development Engineer

• M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent Engineering and/or Science discipline from a college or University accredited by the USDOE or internationally recognized accrediting organization AND 5+ years relevant professional industry experience OR Ph. D in Chemical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, or equivalent Engineering and/or Science discipline from a college or University accredited by the USDOE or internationally recognized accrediting organization AND 3+ years relevant professional industry experience.
• The successful individual must demonstrate excellent oral and written communication, interpersonal, and organizational skills.
• Ability to work well under pressure, in a fast-paced environment, and be able to execute a variety of tasks on short notice is a must.
• Candidate must exhibit the ability to work independently and as a part of a multifaceted team, as required. The needs of the organization can change quickly and therefore the person hired for this position should be flexible and able to learn new topics quickly.

This position is contingent on the satisfactory completion of a background check; this position may require annual background checks.

Preferred Qualifications, Photonics Development Engineer

Experience in one or more of the following topics is highly desired:

• CMOS Process Integration experience; sustaining and/or developing processes in a 300mm wafer fabrication facility.
• Process Integration experience non-CMOS technologies (photonics, IIIVs, MEMS, sensors, magnetics, etc.).
• Background in modeling or device physics of photonic devices, specifically silicon or III-V photonics.
• Familiarity with PIC/IC layout and verification tools (KLayout, Lumerical, Ansys, Cadence, Mentor Graphics, Synopsys, etc.).
• Process development experience in multiple sectors: photolithography, dry etching, oxide deposition, metal deposition, grinding, chemical‑mechanical polishing, plating, wet cleans, rapid thermal processing, ion implantation, epitaxial growth, IIIV growth.
• Materials characterization and metrology: SEM, AFM, profilometry, white light interferometry, XRD, SIMS etc.
• Photonic/electronic test and characterization: propagation loss, electro‑optic test, photodiode, Mach‑Zehnder modulator, sheet resistance, chains, breakdown, etc.
• Demonstrated hands‑on problem solver

This position is contingent on the satisfactory completion of a background check; this position may require annual background checks.

Benefits

• Medical, Vision, and Dental
• Competitive Pay and PTO
• Flexible Heath Spending and Dependent Care Accounts
• Basic / Optional Life Insurance
• Post-Retirement Health Insurance
• Employer contribution of 7% of earnings to a Basic Retirement plan after meeting one year of service.
• Optional employee contributed retirement account

Location

257 Fuller Road, Albany, NY 12203

Salary Range

$150,000 - $190,000

*Posted salary ranges re determined upon experience and education.

Additional Information

NOTE: Some positions require access to export-controlled commodities, technical data, technology, software, or restricted programs where U.S. Government authorization may be required.
For positions requiring such access, offers of employment are contingent upon the employer being able to obtain the necessary authorization, including, if required, an export license from the U.S. Department of Commerce's Bureau of Industry and Security, the U.S. Department of State's Directorate of Defense Trade Controls, or other government agencies. The decision to pursue an export license application is at The Research Foundation for SUNY's sole discretion. Proof of status may be required prior to employment in connection with necessary authorizations.
Employment is with the Research Foundation for SUNY. The Research Foundation is an Equal Opportunity Employer, including individuals with disabilities and protected veterans.
In compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), if you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation to apply please call Human Resources at 518-437-8686.

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