Photonics Test Engineer

MIT Lincoln Laboratory; Lexington (MA); On-site; USD 100,200 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive health, dental, and view

MIT-funded pension

Matching 401K

Paid leave (vacation, sick, parental,军

Tuition reimbursement and continuing教育

Mentorship programs

A range of work‑life balance options

Job summary

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is seeking a Photonics Test Engineer to perform wafer-level and chip-scale measurements on photonic integrated circuits and to develop custom test systems for characterizing PICs. You will operate optical probe stations, fiber-optic assemblies, and test instrumentation to characterize devices at wafer, chip, and package levels.

The role emphasizes setting up automated test routines, expert PIC measurement techniques, data processing, and collaboration with design,

Qualifications

• Education: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Materials Science, or a related technical field
• At least two years of experience in photonic integrated circuit testing, ideally including both passive and active optical devices.
• Familiarity with common test equipment such as optical probe stations, tunable lasers, oscilloscopes, source meters, power meters, spectrum analyzers, and similar instrumentation.
• Experience with data analysis and test scripting using Python, MATLAB, or a similar tool.
• Ability to troubleshoot test setups, identify root causes of measurement issues, and document findings clearly.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in data collection, interpretation, analysis, and reporting, including the communication of test results through reports, plots, and summaries to relevant teams.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Perform wafer-level and chip-scale measurements on photonic integrated circuits and develop custom test systems for characterizing PIC chips and subsystems.
• Operate and maintain photonic test setups using optical probe stations, fiber-optic assemblies, and optical or electro-optical test instrumentation.
• Construct testbeds, perform measurements, collect and analyze data, troubleshoot device behavior, and collaborate with design, fabrication, and systems teams to enhance device performance and yield.
• Support both manual probe station work and automated wafer-level testing; set up, run, and maintain automated test routines; become expert in PIC measurement techniques and data processing.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Data analysis

Test scripting

Troubleshooting

Documentation

Communication

Education

B.S. in Electrical Engineering

B.S. in Optical Engineering

B.S. in Photonics

B.S. in Physics

B.S. in Materials Science

Tools

Optical probe stations

Tunable lasers

Oscilloscopes

Source meters

Power meters

Spectrum analyzers

Job description

Photonics Test Engineer

Date: Jul 8, 2026

Location: Lexington, MA, US

Company: MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Job Description

The RF and Integrated Photonics Group (Group 85) is committed to advancing technologies in the national interest by harnessing novel RF and photonic capabilities. The group's work encompasses everything from foundational research into materials and components to the development of complete RF and photonics systems. Key application areas include classical and quantum sensing and computing systems, as well as laser, radar, communications, and electronic warfare technologies.

The integrated photonics area focuses on developing photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and active photonic devices for classical and quantum applications including microwave photonics; ion trap quantum computing; quantum sensing and communication; advanced laser, modulator, photodetector and other device development; and non‑linear photonic applications.

The group seeks a highly motivated, detail‑oriented, curious, and driven scientist or engineer to join our integrated photonics testing team. The successful candidate will join a close‑knit, dynamic team working at the forefront of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) platform and systems development.

In this role, the successful candidate will perform wafer‑level and chip‑scale measurements on photonic integrated circuits and develop custom test systems for characterizing unique PIC chips and subsystems. They will operate and maintain photonic test setups using optical probe stations, fiber‑optic assemblies, and optical or electro‑optical test instrumentation to characterize devices and subsystems at the wafer, chip, and package levels.

Responsibilities include constructing testbeds, performing measurements, collecting and analyzing data, troubleshooting device behavior, and collaborating closely with design, fabrication, and systems teams to enhance device performance, yield, and test repeatability.

A key aspect of this role is supporting both manual probe station work and automated wafer‑level testing. The successful candidate will set up, run, and maintain automated test routines and will become an expert in PIC measurement techniques, test automation, and data processing. This is an excellent opportunity for an engineer who enjoys a combination of hands‑on lab work, problem‑solving, and software‑enabled test automation in a fast‑paced photonics environment.

Requirements

• Education: B.S. in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Materials Science, or a related technical field
• At least two years of experience in photonic integrated circuit testing, ideally including both passive and active optical devices.
• Familiarity with common test equipment such as optical probe stations, tunable lasers, oscilloscopes, source meters, power meters, spectrum analyzers, and similar instrumentation.
• Experience with data analysis and test scripting using Python, MATLAB, or a similar tool.
• Ability to troubleshoot test setups, identify root causes of measurement issues, and document findings clearly.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail in data collection, interpretation, analysis, and reporting, including the communication of test results through reports, plots, and summaries to relevant teams.
• Good written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across engineering teams.

Desired Qualifications

• Experience with automated wafer testing.
• Familiarity with the working principles of photonic, semiconductor, or RF devices like lasers, electro‑optic modulators, transmission lines, optical fiber, optical amplifiers, etc.
• Understanding of photonic device characterization such as insertion loss, wavelength response, IV/CV measurements, dark current, responsivity, or high‑speed performance.
• Knowledge of statistical data analysis, yield analysis, and measurement system repeatability.
• Experience supporting engineering builds.

Recent Graduate Hiring Range: $100,200-$120,000

Experienced Hiring Range: $100,200-$150,000

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT‑funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
• Mentorship programs
• A range of work‑life balance options

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre‑employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.