PIC Design Engineer

Darwin Recruitment; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 195,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment partners with an innovative technology company developing photonic integrated circuits for next‑generation computing applications. The role covers end‑to‑end design from device level to fabrication, working with IC design, packaging and measurement teams to deliver high‑performance photonic hardware.

The ideal candidate has 5+ years in PIC design and strong proficiency with Lumerical, Cadence, Synopsys and KLayout.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in photonic integrated circuit design.
• Proficiency with photonic design and simulation tools (Lumerical, Cadence, Synopsys, KLayout).
• Ownership of PIC tapeouts from initial design through to fabrication submission.
• Strong understanding of silicon photonics device physics and integrated optical components.
• PhD or postdoctoral research experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate photonic devices and integrated circuits, including waveguides, modulators, photodetectors and optical couplers.
• Own photonic circuit layout, design rule checking (DRC), layout-versus-schematic (LVS) and tapeout processes.
• Ensure photonic designs meet system-level optical and electrical performance requirements.
• Collaborate with packaging engineers to address photonic assembly, integration and manufacturability constraints.
• Work with measurement and test teams to define characterisation strategies and validate device performance.
• Coordinate with foundry partners to prepare designs for fabrication and support the transition from design to silicon.

Skills

Photonic IC design

Device-level design

Education

PhD or postdoctoral research experience considered

Tools

Lumerical

Cadence

Synopsys

KLayout

Job description

Photonic Circuit Design Engineer

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with an innovative technology company developing advanced photonic integrated circuits for next-generation computing applications.

The company is seeking a Photonic Circuit Design Engineer to take ownership of the design, simulation, layout and tapeout of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). This is a hands-on, end-to-end engineering role spanning device-level design through to fabrication, working closely with electronic IC design, packaging and measurement teams to deliver high-performance photonic hardware.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and simulate photonic devices and integrated circuits, including waveguides, modulators, photodetectors and optical couplers.

• Own photonic circuit layout, design rule checking (DRC), layout-versus-schematic (LVS) and tapeout processes.

• Ensure photonic designs meet system-level optical and electrical performance requirements.

• Collaborate with packaging engineers to address photonic assembly, integration and manufacturability constraints.

• Work with measurement and test teams to define characterisation strategies and validate device performance.

• Coordinate with foundry partners to prepare designs for fabrication and support the transition from design to silicon.

Essential Requirements

• 5+ years of experience in photonic integrated circuit design.

• Proficiency with photonic design and simulation tools such as Lumerical, Cadence, Synopsys and KLayout.

• Demonstrated ownership of PIC tapeouts, from initial design through layout and fabrication submission.

• Strong understanding of silicon photonics device physics and integrated optical components.

• A proven track record in industry; candidates with relevant PhD or postdoctoral research experience will also be considered.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with co-packaged optics (CPO) or photonic-electronic integration.

• Familiarity with high-speed electro-optic modulator design.