Senior Photonics Design Engineer

Darwin Recruitment; North Carolina; On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Darwin Recruitment is seeking a Senior Photonics Design Engineer in Raleigh, NC to lead design and development of next‑generation PICs and high‑performance optical systems. You will model devices, run simulations, and own DOE across concept to validation.

The role requires a PhD and 5+ years in photonics, with strong Python/MATLAB skills and expertise in tools like COMSOL, FDTD, and Cadence. Collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams is essential.

Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, Materials Science or related discipline is required.
• 5+ years of industry experience in photonics, optoelectronics, PIC design or nonlinear optics.
• Strong experience with photonic device modelling and simulation tools.
• Experience with scripted PIC layout tools.
• Knowledge of electrical, electro-optic or thermo-optic tuning of photonic components.

Responsibilities

• Design and model passive photonic components (waveguides, resonators, modulators, couplers).
• Develop simulations for nonlinear optical processes and frequency conversion.
• Design electrical and thermal control mechanisms for integrated photonic devices.
• Support research into advanced materials and emerging photonic technologies.
• Develop scripted PIC layouts and support fabrication and design optimisation.
• Plan and execute design of experiments (DOE) to assess device performance.
• Analyse testing data and translate findings into design improvements.
• Support hybrid and heterogeneous photonic integration projects.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver performance targets.
• Contribute to technical innovation and IP development.

Skills

Photonic device modelling

Python

MATLAB

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Education

PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, Materials Science

Tools

COMSOL

FDTD

RSoft

Synopsys

GDSFactory

PHIDL

Cadence Virtuoso

Job description

Location: Raleigh, North Carolina
Employment Type: Full-time

About the Opportunity

My client is an innovative technology company specialising in the development of advanced photonic and optoelectronic technologies.

They are seeking an experienced Senior Photonics Design Engineer to support the design and development of next-generation photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and high-performance optical systems.

This is a hands-on engineering role involving photonic device modelling, nonlinear optics, PIC architecture and design optimisation. The successful candidate will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering and R&D teams, taking ownership of complex design challenges from concept through to testing and validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and model passive photonic components, including waveguides, resonators, modulators, couplers and optical interfaces.

• Develop simulations for nonlinear optical processes and frequency conversion.

• Design electrical and thermal control mechanisms for integrated photonic devices.

• Support research into advanced materials and emerging photonic technologies.

• Develop scripted PIC layouts and support fabrication and design optimisation.

• Plan and execute design of experiments (DOE) to assess device performance.

• Analyse testing data and translate findings into design improvements.

• Support hybrid and heterogeneous photonic integration projects.

• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to deliver performance targets.

• Contribute to technical innovation, intellectual property development and new device architectures.

Requirements

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, Materials Science or a related discipline.

• 5+ years of industry experience in photonics, optoelectronics, PIC design or nonlinear optics.

• Strong experience with photonic device modelling and simulation tools such as COMSOL, FDTD, RSoft or Synopsys.

• Experience with scripted PIC layout tools such as GDSFactory, PHIDL or Cadence Virtuoso.

• Knowledge of electrical, electro-optic or thermo-optic tuning of photonic components.

• Experience with optical modelling, including free-space optics.

• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB or similar tools for automation, modelling and data analysis.

• Experience integrating PICs with optical fibres, lasers or external optical components.

• Strong understanding of photonic device architecture, design constraints and performance optimisation.

• Excellent analytical, communication and problem-solving skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience with silicon photonics, thin-film lithium niobate or silicon nitride platforms.

• Background in semiconductor lasers, laser physics or integrated laser systems.

• Experience with UV or visible-light photonic devices.

• Familiarity with RF electronics and laser instrumentation.

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• Knowledge of design for manufacturing, statistical process control and root cause analysis.

• Experience working within a startup, scale-up or research-led engineering environment.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Hashim Akram