PIC Characterization Engineer

Darwin Recruitment; New York (NY); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

PIC Characterization Engineer role focuses on developing optical test methods to evaluate photonic integrated circuits. You’ll work with design, fabrication and systems teams to characterize devices and feed results into product development.

This position is ideal for someone with hands-on optical testing experience who enjoys solving complex technical challenges in a fast-paced R&D environment, with opportunities to automate analysis using Python or MATLAB and communicate findings to

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience characterising photonic integrated circuits, optical components or optoelectronic devices.
• Hands-on experience with optical laboratory equipment such as tunable lasers, optical spectrum analysers, power meters, optical switches and high-speed detectors.
• Strong understanding of fibre alignment, optical coupling and precision measurement techniques.
• Experience analysing experimental data using Python, MATLAB or similar programming languages.
• Knowledge of photonic device physics and semiconductor fabrication processes.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and perform optical and electro-optical characterisation of photonic integrated circuits and optoelectronic devices.
• Design, build and maintain optical test setups for wafer-level and packaged device evaluation.
• Measure and analyse key performance metrics including insertion loss, wavelength response, coupling efficiency, bandwidth and device reliability.
• Collaborate with PIC designers and process engineers to correlate measurement data with design and fabrication results.
• Automate test procedures and data analysis using Python, MATLAB or similar scripting tools.
• Support device validation, failure analysis and performance optimisation throughout the product development cycle.
• Document experimental results and present findings to cross-functional engineering teams.

Skills

Hands-on testing

Device characterization

Python/MATLAB data analysis

Analytical troubleshooting

Education

Bachelor/Master/PhD in Photonics/Physics/EE

Tools

Tunable lasers

Optical spectrum analyzers

Power meters

Optical switches

High-speed detectors

Job description

PIC Characterization Engineer

The Role

As a Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) Characterization Engineer, you’ll be responsible for developing and executing optical test methodologies to evaluate the performance of advanced photonic integrated circuits. Working closely with design, fabrication and systems teams, you’ll characterise new devices, analyse experimental results and provide critical feedback to support product development.

This role is ideal for someone with hands-on experience in optical testing who enjoys solving complex technical challenges in a fast-paced R&D environment.

What You’ll Do

• Develop and perform optical and electro-optical characterisation of photonic integrated circuits and optoelectronic devices.
• Design, build and maintain optical test setups for wafer-level and packaged device evaluation.
• Measure and analyse key performance metrics including insertion loss, wavelength response, coupling efficiency, bandwidth and device reliability.
• Collaborate with PIC designers and process engineers to correlate measurement data with design and fabrication results.
• Automate test procedures and data analysis using Python, MATLAB or similar scripting tools.
• Support device validation, failure analysis and performance optimisation throughout the product development cycle.
• Document experimental results and present findings to cross-functional engineering teams.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience characterising photonic integrated circuits, optical components or optoelectronic devices.
• Hands-on experience with optical laboratory equipment such as tunable lasers, optical spectrum analysers, power meters, optical switches and high-speed detectors.
• Strong understanding of fibre alignment, optical coupling and precision measurement techniques.
• Experience analysing experimental data using Python, MATLAB or similar programming languages.
• Knowledge of photonic device physics and semiconductor fabrication processes.
• Excellent analytical, troubleshooting and communication skills.

Nice to Have

• Experience with silicon photonics, quantum photonics or integrated optical devices.
• Familiarity with automated optical test systems and wafer-level characterisation.
• Experience testing lasers, modulators, photodetectors or passive PIC components.
• Knowledge of RF or high-speed electro-optic measurement techniques.
• Experience working in a cleanroom or semiconductor fabrication environment.