Principal Silicon Photonics Engineer

Silith; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 200,000 - 280,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, and vision coverage

401(k) plan with employer match

PTO 15 days annually

Paid sick leave

11 paid company holidays

Job summary

SILITH Technology in California seeks a Principal Silicon Photonics Engineer to lead the design of silicon-photonic devices and PIC platforms, guiding concepts from modeling through tape-out and product transfer.

The role requires deep technical execution, hands-on fabrication experience, and the ability to mentor cross-functional teams across RF, packaging, and test while driving performance and yield improvements.

Qualifications

• PhD with 5+ years of post-PhD industrial experience.
• Extensive experience designing and testing silicon-photonic devices or PICs.
• Ownership of multiple fabrication tape-outs and design iterations.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar software.
• Strong written, presentation, and cross-functional communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead architecture and design of silicon-photonic devices, circuits, and subsystems.
• Translate requirements into device specs, targets, and verification plans.
• Develop modulators, detectors, passive components, and wavelength-management circuits.
• Own designs through simulation, layout, tape-out, fabrication, testing, and iteration.
• Establish modeling, layout, verification, and characterization methodologies.
• Analyze optical, electrical, thermal, RF, and fabrication interactions.

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Silicon photonics

Photonic design

Education

PhD in electrical engineering, optics, applied physics, or related field

Tools

Commercial simulation tools

Job description

SILITH Technology is a fabless silicon photonics company developing photonic integrated circuit solutions for AI infrastructure and high-speed optical networking. Its silicon photonics platforms support high-bandwidth optical interconnects for data center and communications applications.

• Medical, dental, and vision coverage; the company pays 100% of the employee medical premium and 60% of eligible dependent medical premiums.
• 401(k) plan with a dollar-for-dollar employer match on the first 5% of eligible compensation deferred, subject to plan terms and a two-year cliff vesting schedule.
• 15 days of PTO annually during the first year, accrued throughout the year, with accrual increasing based on tenure.
• Five days of paid sick leave per year and 11 paid company holidays.

Position Summary

We are seeking a Principal Silicon Photonics Engineer to lead the development of high-performance silicon-photonic devices, photonic integrated circuits, and associated technology platforms. The engineer will own critical designs from concept and modeling through tape-out, characterization, optimization, and product transfer.

The position requires deep technical expertise, a record of successful photonic design and fabrication, and the ability to guide engineers across multiple disciplines.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the architecture and design of silicon-photonic devices, circuits, and subsystems.
• Translate product or system requirements into device specifications, design targets, and verification plans.
• Develop modulators, detectors, passive optical components, wavelength-management circuits, and other integrated-photonic building blocks.
• Own photonic designs through simulation, layout, design review, tape-out, fabrication, testing, and design iteration.
• Establish modeling, layout, verification, and characterization methodologies.
• Analyze optical, electrical, thermal, RF, and fabrication interactions affecting device performance.
• Lead design-for-manufacturing, process-corner, tolerance, variability, reliability, and yield analyses.
• Define wafer-level and packaged-device characterization strategies.
• Work with foundries and internal fabrication teams to improve process capability and device performance.
• Collaborate with internal and external teams in RF electronics, packaging, test, reliability, modules and systems.
• Support technology roadmaps, intellectual-property development, customer discussions, and product planning.
• Communicate technical results and risks to both engineering teams and leadership.

Required Qualifications

• PhD in electrical engineering, optics, applied physics, materials science, or a closely related field.
• More than five years of relevant post-PhD industrial experience.
• Extensive experience designing and testing silicon-photonic devices or photonic integrated circuits.
• Demonstrated ownership of multiple fabrication tape-outs and design iterations.
• Advanced knowledge of integrated optics, semiconductor physics, electro-optic devices, and fabrication processes.
• Expertise with commercial simulation tools. Experience correlating simulations with measured device performance.
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or similar engineering software.
• Strong understanding of high-speed electro-optical characterization and RF measurement techniques.
• Ability to identify technical risks, make engineering tradeoffs, and drive complex programs to completion.
• Demonstrated technical leadership and mentoring ability.
• Strong written, presentation, and cross-functional communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Expertise in high-speed modulators, germanium photodetectors, optical filters, laser integration, or wavelength-division multiplexing.
• Experience with co-design of photonic devices, electronic drivers, TIAs, RF interconnects, and advanced packages.
• Knowledge of heterogeneous integration, flip-chip assembly, fiber attach, thermal management, and packaging reliability.
• Familiarity with statistical process control, yield improvement, qualification, and production transfer.
• Record of patents, peer-reviewed publications, successful products, or production-qualified designs.