Photonics Test Technician

OpenLight Photonics Inc.; Goleta (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid in-office schedule (3 days/week

Job summary

OpenLight Photonics Inc. is seeking a skilled photonics test technician to work onsite in our San Jose OSAT and Santa Clara offices. You will operate automated wafer test stations to validate Silicon Photonics devices and PICs at wafer, die, and package levels.

The role emphasizes wafer prober operation, data analysis, and independent work within a collaborative test engineering team. Hybrid work is supported, with emphasis on hands-on lab work and precise testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher in physics or electrical engineering, or Associate’s with related experience.
• Experience operating automated wafer probers in a lab or industry.
• Strong manual dexterity for sub-micron alignment and attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Install and program wafer test hardware on wafer test stations.
• Operate test stations for prototypes and hand off to OSAT partners.
• Download data, run analysis, and publish results.
• Monitor outputs for anomalies and track test coverage per wafer.
• Manage wafer inventory and test execution schedules.
• Communicate test plans and status with program managers.
• Handle shipping and hand delivery of wafers in San Jose.

Skills

Wafer prober operation

Test equipment handling

Hands-on lab work

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Physics

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering

Associate’s degree with related experience

Job description

The Role

We are looking for a highly-skilled photonics test technician to work onsite in our San Jose OSAT and Santa Clara office. As a member of OpenLight’s test engineering team, you will work closely with a team of experienced engineers in operating automated test stations to validate the functionality of Silicon Photonics devices and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) at the wafer level, die level, and package level. Solid experience wafer prober operation will put you at the head of the line.

You will be supporting a team of test engineers by maintaining and operating multiple silicon photonic wafer test stations. The work includes wafer prober programming, station operation, wafer management, and interactive debugging.

What You Will Do

• Install custom wafer test hardware on our wafer test stations

• Program the wafer probers, and run the test software

• Operate the test stations for prototype runs and hand off production testing to our OSAT partners

• Download test data, run analysis software, and publish results

• Monitor test outputs and identify anomalies, drift, or unexpected behavior in data

• Manage the wafer inventory, track the test coverage per wafer

• Manage schedules for test execution, and communicate with program managers on the test plans, results, and project status

• Shipping and hand delivery of wafers in San Jose

Your Background Includes

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics or Electrical Engineering or Associate’s degree with related experience

• Experience in operating automated wafer probers

• Hands-on experience in a physics or electrical engineering lab or industry

• Manual dexterity in sub-micron mechanical alignment

• Experience identifying test anomalies, system issues, or data inconsistencies

• Strong attention to detail and ability to follow complex technical documentation

• Demonstrable success and enjoyment of working independently, with minimal supervision

About OpenLight

OpenLight is growing as customer adoption and industry momentum continue to accelerate. The rapid growth of AI and cloud infrastructure is driving unprecedented demand for faster, more energy-efficient optical connectivity. We are addressing this challenge through a platform approach that simplifies the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and accelerates industry adoption.

As part of our team, you will contribute to technologies that enable AI and hyperscale data centers, high-speed optical communications, advanced sensing applications, next-generation photonic integration, and more. Our team is collaborative and fast-moving, and you will have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions across technology, operations, and business growth.

OpenLight continues with a hybrid schedule, with a standard of three days/week in office; you select the days you’re in, based on what’s best for your work priorities.

OpenLight’s salary for technical roles is dependent on the skills and experience of the individual, their primary work location, and other parameters; annual salary will generally be somewhere between $140,000-$240,000. In addition to cash compensation, OpenLight offers incentive stock options (ISOs), generous insurance support, 401k matching, unlimited vacation, spot bonuses, and a positive work environment. If you are excited about solving challenging problems, advancing cutting-edge technology, and working with a highly collaborative team, we would love to hear from you.