Post-Doctoral Researcher – Silicon Photonics for Computing Applications

University of Southern California; Los Angeles (CA); On-site; USD 75,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Southern California’s ASIC Lab at ISI seeks a post-doctoral researcher to advance silicon photonics for next-generation computing. You will lead PIC design, simulation, and integration with external foundries, coordinating MPW tapeouts and end-to-end prototyping with partners.

The role emphasizes collaboration across disciplines, hands-on device fabrication, testing, and contributing to publications and IP development. A strong track record in photonics research is essential.

Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or related field.
• Strong background in PIC design, layout, and commercial foundry tapeouts.
• Proficiency with photonic design & simulation tools (Lumerical, IPKISS, Ansys, KLayout).
• Hands-on device fabrication, testing, and characterization experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead PIC design and simulation.
• Contribute to photonic computing architectures including optical in-memory and neuromorphic computing.
• Coordinate tapeout and fabrication with commercial foundries.
• Characterize fabricated devices using optical and electrical test setups.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and external partners for prototyping and validation.
• Contribute to publications, reports, and IP development.

Skills

PIC design

photonic integration

system-level prototyping

interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

PhD required

Tools

Lumerical

IPKISS

Ansys

KLayout

Job description

Responsibilities

• Lead photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design and simulation using commercial tools.
• Contribute to novel photonic computing architectures including optical in-memory and neuromorphic computing.
• Coordinate tapeout and fabrication of silicon photonic devices with commercial foundries.
• Characterize fabricated devices using optical and electrical test setups.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and external partners for end-to-end prototyping and validation.
• Contribute to publications, technical reports, and intellectual property development.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or a closely related field.
• Strong background in Integrated Phonics, including demonstrated experience in PIC design, layout, and tapeout in commercial foundries.
• Proficiency with photonic design and simulation tools (e.g., Lumerical, IPKISS, Ansys, KLayout).
• Hands-on experience in device fabrication, testing, and characterization (e.g., using probe stations, tunable lasers, optical spectrum analyzers).
• Familiarity with materials such as Si, SiN, AlN, BaTiO₃, or 2D materials is a plus.
• Strong publication record and excellent communication skills.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a multidisciplinary research environment.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with MPW runs (e.g., AIM Photonics, GF Fotonix).
• Exposure to optical in-memory compute or optical AI accelerators.
• Familiarity with advanced packaging methods for photonics.
• Previous collaboration with industry or transition of research to commercial applications.

Salary range: The annual base salary range for this position is $75,000 to $85,000. When extending an offer of employment, the University of Southern California considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, key skills, internal peer equity, federal, state, and local laws, contractual stipulations, grant funding, as well as external market and organizational considerations.

Why Join Us

This position offers the opportunity to contribute to cutting-edge research in photonics-enabled hardware acceleration for AI and advanced computing. You will work alongside a dynamic team at the forefront of next-generation system design, engaging in real-world prototyping with direct impact on future computing platforms.

The role provides hands-on collaboration with top-tier fabrication partners and national research consortia, access to advanced prototyping infrastructure, and the chance to shape the direction of innovative silicon photonics technologies. It is an ideal opportunity for those passionate about bridging fundamental research with practical, scalable solutions.

The Application Specific Intelligent Computing (ASIC) Lab at USC’s Information Sciences Institute (USC’s ISI) invites applications for a post-doctoral position in Silicon Photonics, with a focus on advanced computing applications. The selected candidate will contribute to the design, prototyping, and testing of photonic devices and circuits aimed at enabling next-generation computing architectures, such as optical in-memory computing. The role involves close collaboration with leading fabrication partners (e.g., GlobalFoundries, AIM Photonics), participation in multi-project wafer (MPW) tapeouts, and system-level experimental validation of fabricated prototypes. A strong drive for innovation is essential, as the work will push the boundaries of current photonic technologies and computing models.