Senior Silicon Photonics IC Design Engineer

SpaceX; Redmond (WA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 270,000; Full time

Job summary

SpaceX seeks a Senior Silicon Photonics Design Engineer (RFIC Engineering) to design, analyze, and simulate cutting-edge PICs for Starlink. You will work with cross‑disciplinary teams to deploy high‑speed optical links for global connectivity and space-ground infrastructure.

The role requires 5+ years in photonics or electro‑optical IC design, experience with RF/analog/mixed-signal circuits, and proficiency in tools like Lumerical, HFSS, Spectre, and ADS.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science.
• 5+ years of photonics or electro-optical integrated circuit design.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze, and simulate optical building blocks (MZM, microring modulators, Ge PDs, dWDM, waveguides, couplers).
• Derive specifications for Photonics IC systems and circuits.
• Model package optical interface including edge and grating couplers.
• Collaborate with system architects, DSP, electro-optics, and ASIC engineers.
• Perform IC floor planning and layout.
• Evaluate and measure electrical and optical building blocks of a high-speed optical link.
• Assist in development of automated test lab equipment for lab measurements.
• Work with manufacturing on production testing and qualification.
• Experience using simulation tools such as Lumerical, COMSOL and HFSS.

Skills

MZM and Microring modulators

Ge Photodiodes

dWDM filters

waveguides

couplers

packaging for co-package optics

high-speed SerDes

NRZ/PAM4 modulation

test equipment know-how

Education

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering

Bachelor's degree in computer engineering

Bachelor's degree in computer science

Tools

Spectre

ADS

Lumerical

COMSOL

HFSS

Job description

SpaceX seeks a Senior Silicon Photonics Design Engineer (RFIC Engineering) to design, analyze, and simulate cutting-edge PICs for Starlink. You will work with cross‑disciplinary teams to deploy high‑speed optical links for global connectivity and space-ground infrastructure.

The role requires 5+ years in photonics or electro‑optical IC design, experience with RF/analog/mixed-signal circuits, and proficiency in tools like Lumerical, HFSS, Spectre, and ADS.