Quantum Integration Senior Staff Engineer

SkyWater Technology; BLOOMINGTON (MN); On-site; USD 114,000 - 171,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k match

Life insurance

On-site fitness facility

On-site self-serve market

Job summary

SkyWater Technology, Inc. in Minnesota is seeking a Quantum Integration Senior Staff Engineer for the photonics hardware team. The role bridges wafer fabrication with quantum photonic devices used in networking, sensing, and computing applications.

Responsibilities include developing photonic device fabrication flows, enabling heterogenous III‑V on silicon/photonics integration, and validating high‑speed modulators in a foundry environment. US citizenship is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s, Master’s or PhD in a relevant engineering/physical science field.
• Experience with cleanroom fabrication tools (lithography, etch, deposition, CMP, metrology).
• Requires 7 years (BS), 5 years (MS) or 2–3 years (PhD) in a semiconductor fab or lab.
• Strong written and spoken communication; ability to thrive in a cross‑functional program.

Responsibilities

• Develop and optimize wafer-scale photonic device fabrication processes.
• Lead heterogeneous integration efforts (III‑V on silicon/photonics).
• Integrate high‑speed electro‑optic modulators into photonic circuits.
• Collaborate with process, design, packaging, and test teams for manufacturability.
• Characterize waveguides, modulators, and quantum device metrics.
• Document recipes, flows, and failure analyses for knowledge transfer.

Skills

Cleanroom tooling

Fabrication know-how

Cross-functional teamwork

Communication skills

US citizenship

Education

Electrical/Optical Eng degree

Tools

Lumerical

COMSOL

MEEP

Job description

Bold Thinking. World Changing.

At SkyWater, our ingenuity helps improve lives around the world by manufacturing U.S. made semiconductors that are essential ingredients of modern life. Automotive safety enhancements, life-saving medical devices, consumer electronics and American security require semiconductors. Working in our Minnesota headquarters, Florida, or Texas location - employees join together to improve the world.

Explore what's possible.

Joining our U.S. - based team means contributing to and learning about the commercialization of some of the most exciting technologies the world has ever seen. We are turning "science fiction" into everyday reality through technologies such as superconducting, 3D integrated circuits or computer chips, carbon nanotubes, photonic logic devices, micro electro-mechanical systems and other emerging device topologies. We manufacture products for aerospace and defense, medical, automotive, consumer and industrial markets, to name a few. Our customers include emerging leaders who rely on our intellectual property security and quality manufacturing services.

Step into the future.

SkyWater's values of Integrity, Excellence, Collaboration, Empowerment and Growth Mindset guide us to cultivate an empowered, learning environment. We also invest in developing highly skilled, dedicated employees - and employees who are entering the workforce for the first time, from the military, and a variety of educational backgrounds.

Are you bold thinking?

Find your place on our team and help us change the world!

In the Advanced Technology Services (ATS) group at SkyWater, our team works hand in hand with customers to develop a wide range of exciting new, novel, and fully customized technologies - including superconducting ICs, quantum computing devices, carbon nanotube devices, MEMs, Bio sensors, DNA sequencing devices, Si photonics, and III-V devices.

We are seeking a Quantum Integration Senior Staff Engineer to join our quantum photonics hardware team, working on the fabrication and integration of photonic devices in a semiconductor foundry environment. This role sits at the intersection of process engineering, device physics, systems integration and photonic platform creation - bridging wafer-level fabrication with functional quantum photonic hardware for networking, sensing, and computing applications.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and optimize fabrication process flows for wafer level manufacturing of low-loss photonic waveguides, ensuring seamless execution
• Lead or support III-V-on-silicon (or III-V-on-photonics) heterogeneous/hybrid integration efforts
• Develop, characterize and integrate high-speed electro-optic modulators into photonic circuits
• Support integration of components relevant to quantum applications: single-photon sources/detectors, or cryogenic-compatible photonics
• Collaborate with process integration teams to troubleshoot yield, optical loss, and reliability issues across the fab flow
• Develop test and characterization methodologies for waveguide loss, modulator bandwidth, coupling efficiency, and device-level quantum metrics
• Interface with cross-functional teams (customer, design, process, packaging, test) to ensure manufacturability of quantum photonic devices
• Document process recipes, integration flows, and failure analysis for internal knowledge transfer and process control
• Collaborate with CAD engineers to validate incoming layout files, constructing frames with essential metrology boxes and electrical test structures.
• Implement data collection schemes and collaborate with process and tool experts to formulate effective process recipes.
• Design and conduct experiments to validate and optimize process recipes.
• Liaise with the failure analysis lab to submit samples for cross-sectioning, contributing to continuous improvement.
• Monitor customer material and proactively address processing issues, ensuring a smooth workflow.
• Conduct regular meetings with customers, providing updates on project progress as materials move through the production line.
• Deliver process reviews with the goal of transitioning the device to full-scale production.

Required Qualifications:

• BS, MS, or PhD in Electrical Eng, Materials Science, Chemical Eng, Physics, Optical Engineering or related discipline
• Experience with cleanroom fabrication tools (lithography, etch, deposition, CMP, metrology)
• BS and 7 years or MS and 5 years or PhD and 2-3 years of engineering experience in a semiconductor fab or lab environment.
• Basic knowledge of semiconductor fabrication and equipment.
• Strong organizational skills and work ethic.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to thrive in a large cross-functional program environment.
• US Citizenship Required: This position will require the holding of or ability to obtain government security clearance which requires U.S Citizenship.

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in a related field.
• Research experience in materials used in semiconductor manufacturing.
• Exposure to various aspects of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
• Experience with foundry-scale (200mm/300mm) photonic process design kits (PDKs)
• Hands-on experience with photonic integrated circuit (PIC) fabrication in a cleanroom/fab environment
• Demonstrated experience with low-loss waveguide fabrication (etch processes, cladding deposition, propagation loss reduction techniques)
• Strong understanding of optical characterization techniques (loss measurement, spectral characterization)
• Experience with III-V integration techniques: wafer bonding, die attach, epitaxial lift-off, or heterogeneous integration
• Familiarity with high-speed modulator design, fabrication, or characterization (RF/electro-optic co-design a plus)
• Working knowledge of quantum photonics principles as applied to at least one of: quantum networking, quantum sensing, or quantum computing
• Familiarity with cryogenic packaging or testing for quantum hardware
• Experience with single-photon detectors (SNSPDs, APDs) or photon-pair sources
• Background in RF/microwave engineering for modulator driver integration
• Publication record or patents in integrated photonics, quantum optics, or related fields
• Experience with simulation tools (Lumerical, COMSOL, MEEP, or similar) for waveguide/device design
• Prior work in a semiconductor fab or foundry environment

The annual salary range for this role is $114,320 - $171,480. Pay offered is based on many factors including, but not limited to, the job-related experience, skills, education, and credentials of each candidate.

SkyWater offers an exciting environment where the brightest semiconductor minds come together to achieve exceptional results. We offer competitive salary and an opportunity to participate in incentive plans as well as other employee financial benefits, including 401k match, and life insurance.

Additionally, SkyWater offers a comprehensive benefits package which promotes a healthy life. This includes benefit eligibility day one, medical, dental, mental health benefits, vision, legal planning, short- and long-term disability, paid time off, paid holidays, an on-site fitness facility, and an on-site self-serve market.

SkyWater complies with federal and state disability laws and makes reasonable accommodations for applicants and employees with disabilities unless doing so would cause an undue hardship. Alternative methods of applying for employment are available to individuals unable to submit an application through this site because of a disability. To request reasonable accommodations, to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact Human Resources at or .

EOE, including disability/vets

We will never ask applicants to pay fees, purchase equipment or gift cards, or provide financial information before a formal offer of employment has been accepted. If you receive a suspicious communication claiming to represent our company, please verify its authenticity by contacting our recruitment team at before responding.