Principal Silicon Photonics Design Engineer

Coherent Corp.; Horsham (PA); On-site; USD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Coherent Corp. in Horsham, Pennsylvania is seeking a skilled engineer to design silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs). The ideal candidate will possess a PhD or MS in Electrical Engineering or a related field with over 5 years of relevant experience. Responsibilities include designing and tapeout of PICs, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and supporting product development in New Product Introduction phases. Strong expertise in silicon photonics device physics and electromagnetic simulation tools is essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in silicon photonics design or optical communication systems.
• Proven experience with silicon photonics PIC tapeouts and foundry interactions.

Responsibilities

• Design and tapeout silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs).
• Implement parametric layout cells and support scalable photonic circuit design.
• Conduct design corner analysis for device robustness.
• Support transition from prototype to high-volume manufacturing.

Skills

Silicon photonics device physics

Electromagnetic simulation tools

Optical communication systems

RF design and electro-optic modeling

Programming for simulation automation

Problem-solving and analytical skills

Collaboration skills

Education

PhD or MS in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Photonics

Tools

Synopsys OptoCompiler

Cadence Virtuoso

Lumerical

CST Microwave Studio

ADS

Job description

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Design and tapeout silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) including integrated coherent receivers and integrated coherent transmitter PICs.
• Design and prepare PIC layouts using industry-standard PIC design flows including:
  • Synopsys OptoCompiler
  • Cadence Virtuoso-based photonic design flows
• Implement parametric layout cells (PCells) and scripted layout generation to support scalable photonic circuit design.
• Develop and simulate passive photonic components.
• Model and simulate active photonic devices.
• Perform electromagnetic, optical, and electrical simulations using tools such as:
  • Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, DEVICE, INTERCONNECT)
  • CST Microwave Studio
  • HFSS
  • Tidy3D
  • ADS
  • Other PIC design and verification tools as required.
• Support the local development of photonic components for multiple silicon photonics foundries and technology platforms.
• Work closely with external silicon photonics foundries to successfully design, verify, and tapeout advanced PICs.
• Conduct design corner analysis to ensure device robustness across process, voltage, temperature, and fabrication variations.
• Perform post-layout simulations and verification, including optical, RF, and electro-optic performance validation.
• Develop compact models and simulation workflows for system-level verification of photonic circuits.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams including:
  • Electronics / IC design
  • Packaging engineering
  • Optical system engineering
  • Test engineering
  • Reliability engineering
  • Manufacturing and operations
• Support product development through New Product Introduction (NPI) phases including prototype validation, characterization, and design improvements.
• Work with reliability engineering teams to define qualification plans, including lifetime testing, environmental stress testing, and failure analysis.
• Support transition from prototype to high-volume manufacturing, including:
  • Design for manufacturability (DFM)
  • Process variation mitigation
  • Yield optimization
  • Test strategy development
  • Production monitoring and yield analysis.
• Participate in design reviews, documentation, and technical presentations.
• Mentor junior engineers and contribute to best practices for silicon photonic design within the organization.

Education & Experience

• PhD or MS in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Photonics, or related field.
• Typically 5+ years of experience in silicon photonics design, integrated photonics, or optical communication systems.
• Proven experience with silicon photonics PIC tapeouts and foundry interactions.

Skills

• Strong expertise in silicon photonics device physics and PIC design methodologies.
• Experience with electromagnetic simulation and photonic design tools.
• Familiarity with photonic foundry design kits (PDKs) and layout environments.
• Strong understanding of optical communication systems and coherent optical architectures.
• Experience with RF design and electro-optic device modeling.
• Knowledge of packaging and fiber coupling techniques for photonic devices.
• Programming experience for simulation automation and data analysis.
• Strong problem-solving, analytical, and debugging skills.
• Excellent collaboration skills for working with cross-functional engineering teams.

Working Conditions

• Authorized to work in US.

Safety Requirements

All employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.

Quality And Environmental Responsibilities

Depending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.

Culture Commitment

• Integrity – Create an Environment of Trust
• Collaboration – Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas
• Accountability – Own the Process and the Outcome
• Respect – Recognize the Value in Everyone
• Enthusiasm – Find a Sense of Purpose in Work

Equal Opportunity & Non-Discrimination Statement

Coherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.