Photonics Test Engineer

Acceler8 Talent; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Job summary

Acceler8 Talent is assisting a Boulder-based hardware team in hiring a Photonics Test Engineer focused on PIC characterization and automation. The role entails hands-on testing of photonic integrated circuits and building robust test setups that yield data-driven results.

The ideal candidate will automate measurements with Python, handle optical/electrical test equipment, and contribute to transitioning prototypes into reliable systems.

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience testing photonic integrated circuits.
• Ability to build test setups from scratch and automate measurements.
• Experience with optical/electrical test equipment is required.

Responsibilities

• PIC testing and characterization.
• Fiber-to-chip coupling and alignment.
• Optical / electro-optical test setups.
• Python-based automation.
• Work with lasers, modulators, detectors, waveguides and couplers.
• Assess insertion loss, bandwidth and polarization; perform reliability analysis.

Skills

Hands-on photonic IC testing

Fiber-to-chip alignment

Python-based automation

Electrical/optical test setups

Tools

Python scripting

Lab automation

Job description

Photonics Test Engineer | PIC Characterization & Automation

Can you take a photonic chip from “it should work” to “here’s the data proving it does”?

I’m working with early-stage hardware companies developing advanced integrated photonic systems and looking for engineers who can own the test and characterization side of the development cycle.

These teams are building new photonic hardware that needs optical and electro-optical test infrastructure to move from prototype devices into reliable systems.

What you could work on:

• PIC testing and characterization
• Fiber-to-chip coupling and alignment
• Optical / electro-optical test setups
• Python-based automation
• Lasers, modulators, detectors, waveguides and couplers
• Insertion loss, bandwidth, coupling efficiency and polarization
• Reliability and failure analysis
• Cryogenic test experience is a bonus

What they’re looking for:

Hands‑on experience testing photonic integrated circuits, not just free‑space optics.

The strongest candidates will be comfortable building setups from scratch, automating measurements, debugging unexpected device behaviour and feeding results back into design and fabrication teams.

US‑based, onsite opportunities

$150K–$220K base + equity, depending on experience

If your background sits at the intersection of integrated photonics, optical characterization and automation, I’d love to hear from you.