Photonics Test Development Engineer

Great Sky; Boulder (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity ownership

401(k) matching

Health/dental/vision/life insurance

Flexible PTO

Learning and conference support

Job summary

Great Sky in Boulder, CO is seeking a Photonics Test Development Engineer to own optical test and characterization workflows for integrated photonic devices central to our platform. You will design and automate test setups for cryogenic photonic networks, characterize passive and active components, and collaborate with design teams to accelerate hardware development.

This hands-on role offers high ownership, opportunities to shape testing infrastructure, and a path to advance silicon photonics

Qualifications

• BS, MS, or PhD in physics, electrical engineering, optics, or related field, or equivalent practical experience.
• Hands-on experience designing, assembling, and automating optical test and characterization setups.
• Experience with optical and electro-optical characterization of photonic devices, including fiber coupling, grating measurements, waveguide loss measurements, and photodetector testing.
• Knowledge of laser device physics and practical laser characterization.
• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced research and development environment.
• Proficiency in Python for test automation, instrument control, and data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end optical test development for cryogenic photonic networks – from setup development to test plan definition.
• Design, build, and automate optical, electrical, and optoelectronic test setups and develop custom measurement solutions for chip- and package-level device characterization, including fiber-to-chip coupling and alignment automation.
• Perform rigorous characterization of passive SiN photonic components: gratings, splitters, couplers, and mode converters — including insertion loss, coupling efficiency, splitting ratio, bandwidth, and polarization extinction ratio measurements.
• Characterize active devices such as integrated lasers, amplifiers, and superconducting single-photon detectors.
• Document test methods and communicate findings through concise reports, presentations, and design reviews.
• Create methods and systems for data acquisition and processing.
• Collaborate closely with multiple technical teams to accelerate development cycles.
• Ensure repeatability and reliability of test data.

Skills

Hands-on optical test setup

Photonic device characterization

Fiber coupling measurements

Cryogenic test experience

Python for automation & data analysis

Independent work in fast-paced R&D

Education

BS, MS, or PhD in physics, electrical engineering, optics, or related field

Tools

Python

Job description

About Us

Great Sky is a technology startup based with a mission to rebuild AI from first principles. We are pursuing neuroscience-inspired hardware and algorithms that overcome the greatest challenges in scaling AI systems.

Job Overview

We are seeking a highly motivated Photonics Test Development Engineer to develop the optical test and characterization workflows for the integrated photonic devices that are central to our technology platform. In this role, you will own the development of optical test infrastructure to allow rapid and automated testing of our photonic interconnects, which consist of PICs, lasers, and superconducting photon detectors. You will identify custom measurement solutions best suited for unique needs, perform rigorous device characterization of sub-components, and provide feedback to design and integration teams to improve device performance. This is a hands-on, high-ownership role with substantial influence on the pace and direction of our hardware development.

Key Responsibilities

• Own end-to-end optical test development for cryogenic photonic networks - from setup development to test plan definition.

• Design, build, and automate optical, electrical, and optoelectronic test setups and develop custom measurement solutions for chip- and package-level device characterization, including fiber-to-chip coupling and alignment automation.

• Perform rigorous characterization of passive SiN photonic components: gratings, splitters, couplers, and mode converters — including insertion loss, coupling efficiency, splitting ratio, bandwidth, and polarization extinction ratio measurements.

• Characterize active devices such as integrated lasers, amplifiers, and superconducting single-photon detectors.

• Document test methods and communicate findings through concise reports, presentations, and design reviews.

• Create methods and systems for data acquisition and processing.

• Collaborate closely with multiple technical teams to accelerate development cycles.

Qualifications & Skills

Required:

• BS, MS, or PhD in physics, electrical engineering, optics, or a related field; or equivalent practical experience.

• Hands-on experience designing, assembling, and automating optical test and characterization setups.

• Experience with optical and electro-optical characterization of photonic devices, including fiber coupling, grating coupler measurements, waveguide loss measurements, and photodetector testing.

• Knowledge of laser device physics and practical experience with laser characterization.

• Ability to work independently in a fast-paced research and development environment.

• Proficiency in Python for test automation, instrument control, and data analysis.

Preferred:

• Experience with SNSPD or single-photon detector characterization.

• Experience with cryostats and cryogenic optical or electrical measurements.

• Experience with automated photonic probe stations and wafer-level testing.

• Experience with databases and structured test-data management systems.

Benefits and Perks

• Meaningful equity ownership in an early-stage deep tech company

• Employer-matched 401(k)

• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance

• Flexible PTO

• Support for ongoing learning, conference attendance, and skill development

Our culture is onsite by default (we're founded by scientists who are used to working in the lab), with flexibility for hybrid arrangements. For the right person and role, we're open to filling roles remotely