PIC Designer

Neara; Santa Clara (CA); Hybrid; USD 165,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Neara is seeking a PIC Designer in a hybrid role based in Santa Clara, CA. You will own and support development of OpenLight PICs built on heterogeneous III-V and silicon photonics platforms. The role bridges design, test, operations, and reliability to enable qualification and release.

You will analyze data from device and system measurements, contribute to design reviews, and collaborate across teams to ensure performance and compliance of PIC products.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• 1–2 years minimum experience in photonics or semiconductor devices.
• Detail oriented with strong documentation discipline.
• Ability to work in a fast-paced development environment.
• Ability to interpret large datasets and extract actionable insights.

Responsibilities

• Own engineering activities across prototype and development stages for PIC based optical products.
• Support design and layout reviews for PICs, ensuring adherence to design rules and manufacturability.
• Perform data analysis on device and system-level measurements to evaluate performance trends.
• Drive debug, root cause analysis, and performance optimization across process and design variations.
• Interface with test engineering teams to define test plans and measurement methodologies.
• Interface with system engineering to provide thermal model and support EVT/DVT tests.

Skills

Data interpretation

Analytical thinking

Cross-functional communication

Problem solving

Detail oriented

Education

MS or PhD in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science

Tools

JMP

Python (NumPy, Pandas)

Job description

PIC Designer

Job type: Full Time · Department: Engineering · Work type: Hybrid · USD 165,000-240,000 / year

Santa Clara, California, United States; Goleta, California, United States

The Role

As a PIC Designer, you will be part of the PIC Architecture team, owning and supporting the development of OpenLight PICs that are built on heterogeneous III‑V and silicon photonics platforms. This role bridges design, test, operations, and reliability to ensure successful development, qualification, and release, and is sure to grow and deepen your technical skills in photonics, as well as your product development capacities.

What You Will Do

• Own engineering activities across prototype and development stages for PIC based optical products
• Support design and layout reviews for PICs, ensuring adherence to design rules and manufacturability
• Perform data analysis on device and system-level measurements to evaluate performance trends and variability
• Drive debug, root cause analysis, and performance optimization across process and design variations
• Interface with test engineering teams to define test plans, requirements, and measurement methodologies for PICs
• Interface with the system engineering team to provide thermal model, support EVT/DVT test and support PIC system test
• Generate, maintain, and update:
• Design documentation
• Test reports and characterization summaries
• Product datasheets
• Make sure PIC performance meets specifications and compliance requirements
• Collaborate with operations and reliability teams to support qualification, yield improvement, and product release for PICs

Your Background Includes

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field
• 1–2 years minimum of relevant industry or research experience in photonics or semiconductor devices
• Detail oriented with strong documentation discipline
• Ability to work in a fast-paced development environment
• Ability to interpret large datasets and extract actionable insights
• Good understanding of optical components and systems, including lasers (e.g., DFB), modulators (e.g., EAM), photodetectors, and silicon photonics platforms
• Proficient in data analysis tools like JMP and Python (NumPy, Pandas, plotting)
• Experience working with test data analysis, characterization, and statistical evaluation
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• Effective cross-functional communication skills

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.

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.