Principal Systems Packaging & Assembly Engineer

nEye.ai; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

nEye.ai is seeking a Systems Packaging & Assembly Engineer to lead advanced packaging for MEMS-based silicon photonics switching platforms in Santa Clara. You will own packaging architecture, integration, and NPI from concept through high-volume production.

The role requires deep expertise in MEMS, optical modules, and multi-die assemblies, with leadership across OSATs, CM, and internal teams to ensure scalable, high-performance packaging solutions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's in engineering in a relevant field.
• 15+ years in semiconductor or photonics packaging.
• Experience in IC package design and back-end assembly in a manufacturing environment.
• Expertise in flip-chip and wirebond hybrid assemblies (BGA/FCBGA/CSP/WLCSP).
• Proven ability to lead NPI programs from concept to high-volume production.
• Hands-on experience with OSATs and contract manufacturers.
• Strong knowledge of yield improvement, failure analysis, and process development.

Responsibilities

• Define and codesign package substrates for MEMS-based silicon photonics systems.
• Lead package and assembly integration of multi-component systems (MEMS, photonics ICs, ASICs).
• Drive integration strategies for electrical, optical, and mechanical interfaces.

Skills

Packaging Engineering

Semiconductor Packaging

NPI Leadership

OSAT Coordination

Manufacturing Integration

Die Bonding

Wire Bonding

Photonic Packaging

Education

Bachelor's or Master's in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Master's preferred

Tools

Cadence SiP

AutoCAD

SolidWorks

Job description

About Us

nEye.ai, a well-funded optical switch startup, is poised to revolutionize the future of data centers. nEye's MEMS-based silicon photonics optical circuit switches (OCS) eliminate critical bottlenecks in AI processing by enabling direct optical connections among thousands of GPUs and memory units. The company's OCS is an ultra-low power consumption, high radix, compact chip-scale design, offering hyperscale data centers enhanced performance, efficiency, and scalability.

Job Overview

We are seeking a Systems Packaging & Assembly Engineer to lead the development and integration of advanced packaging and assembly solutions for our MEMS-based silicon photonics switching platform.

This role sits at the intersection of device engineering, packaging architecture, manufacturing engineering, and supply chain, driving packaging solutions from concept through high-volume production.

The ideal candidate is a hands-on packaging expert with deep experience in optical modules, MEMS devices, semiconductor packaging, and complex multi-die assemblies, who can also lead cross-functional programs with OSATs, contract manufacturers, and internal engineering teams.

This is a highly visible role responsible for bridging R&D and manufacturing, ensuring that our packaging architecture enables scalable production of high-performance optical switching systems.

Key Responsibilities

Package Design & System Integration

• Define and codesign package substrates for MEMS-based silicon photonics optical switching systems.
• Lead package and assembly integration of complex multi-component systems which include MEMs devices, photonic ICs, ASICs, substrates, and optical interfaces.
• Drive mechanical, electrical, and optical integration strategies to ensure system performance, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Collaborate with photonics, MEMS, electrical, and mechanical teams to define packaging requirements and system interfaces.

Assembly Process Development

• Optimize assembly processes including die attach, flip-chip, wire bonding, fiber attach/alignment, and hybrid integration.
• Develop and implement fixtures, jigs, and tooling at our OSATs to support prototype builds and NPI.
• Establish process flows, BOM structures, and manufacturing documentation for new products.
• Identify opportunities for yield improvement, cost reduction, and cycle-time optimization.

NPI & Manufacturing Ramp

• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) activities from prototype builds through production ramp.
• Work closely with OSAT partners, contract manufacturers, and suppliers to meet our product requirements.
• Drive process qualification, yield ramp, and reliability validation.
• Implement root cause analysis (RCA), corrective actions, and failure analysis workflows.

Supplier & Manufacturing Partner Management

• Direct involvement with OSATs, substrate vendors, optics suppliers, and strategic partners.
• Lead technology transfer from engineering to manufacturing partners.

Program Management

• Act as a technical program manager for packaging and assembly development across multiple engineering teams.
• Coordinate activities between device engineering, system engineering, manufacturing, reliability, and supply chain.
• Track program milestones and ensure packaging readiness aligns with product development timelines.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or related field.
• 15+ years of experience in semiconductor or photonics packaging engineering.
• Extensive experience in IC package design and back-end assembly process development in a manufacturing environment.
• Strong background in advanced packaging technologies, such as:
  • Flip-chip and wirebond hybrid assemblies
  • BGA / FCBGA / CSP / WLCSP
  • Multi-die stacking (2.5D / 3D integration)
  • System-in-Package (SiP)
• Proven experience driving NPI programs from concept to high-volume production.
• Hands-on experience working with OSATs and contract manufacturers.
• Strong knowledge of yield improvement, failure analysis, and process development.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects and guide engineers as a senior technical contributor.
• Hands-on expertise with die bonders, dispensers, reflow/TCB tools, wirebonders, and interface metrology (CSAM, X-ray, AOI).
• Strong background in materials characterization and statistical process control (DOE, FMEA, SPC)

Preferred Experience

• Experience with fiber attach and photonic IC packaging.
• Background in optical transceivers, co-packaged optics, or photonics modules.
• Experience with optical modules, photonics packaging, and/or MEMS devices.
• Experience with optical alignment and hermetic packaging solutions.
• Six Sigma certified
• Familiarity with substrate layout tools and packaging design environments (Cadence SiP, AutoCAD, SolidWorks, etc.)

nEye is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.

Starting salary and title will depend on, and be commensurate with, relevant experience, skills, training, education, market demands, and the ultimate job duties and requirements.