Senior Laser Design Engineer — High-Power III-V Epi

Socket.dev; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 212,000 - 320,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive Health Care Plan (M/D/V)

Equity grants

Generous Time Off

Hybrid workplace model

Retirement Savings Matching

Job summary

Lightmatter is hiring a Laser Design Engineer to lead the design of high-power laser epitaxy and device architectures for AI communications and computation. You will drive epi layer stacks and cavity designs, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate system needs into robust, manufacturable hardware.

The role requires deep laser physics knowledge, proven design ownership across multiple programs, and strong communication to internal stakeholders.

Qualifications

• PhD or MS with extensive post-degree experience in photonics or related field.
• Deep hands-on expertise in III-V laser and epitaxy design.
• Proven track record designing DFB, DBR, and external-cavity lasers.
• Strong grounding in laser and semiconductor device physics.
• Proficiency with physics-based simulation tools and Python.
• Ability to independently own complex multi-program designs.
• Collaborates closely with characterization and hardware teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the design of high-power laser epitaxial structures and laser devices (DFB/DBR/external-cavity).
• Design epitaxial layer stacks in III-V materials optimizing gain, confinement, threshold, wall-plug efficiency.
• Optimize cavity designs for power, wavelength, linewidth, SMSR, RIN, and back-reflection tolerance.
• Contribute to monolithic and silicon-photonics integration of laser/SOA.
• Use physics-based and traveling-wave simulations to model devices.
• Coordinate with characterization to map L-I-V, near-/far-field, and temperatures to design parameters.
• Collaborate across systems, packaging, thermal teams to derive specs.
• Work with epitaxy and foundry vendors to transfer designs to manufacturing.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to laser tech roadmap.
• Publish and present novel ideas at photonics conferences.

Skills

DFB lasers

DBR lasers

External-cavity lasers

III-V epitaxy

Laser device physics

Photonic simulation tools

Python data analysis

Cross-functional teamwork

High-volume manufacturing

Education

PhD in Photonics/EE

MS with 8+ years experience

Tools

PhotonDesign Harold/PICWave

VPIphotonics

Lumerical

Python scripting

Job description

Lightmatter is hiring a Laser Design Engineer to lead the design of high-power laser epitaxy and device architectures for AI communications and computation. You will drive epi layer stacks and cavity designs, collaborating with cross-functional teams to translate system needs into robust, manufacturable hardware.

The role requires deep laser physics knowledge, proven design ownership across multiple programs, and strong communication to internal stakeholders.