Senior Silicon-Photonics PIC Engineer for DWDM

Qualcomm; Santa Clara, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 139,000 - 209,000; Full time

Job summary

Qualcomm Atheros, Inc. in Santa Clara, CA is seeking an experienced Photonic IC Designer to define, design, and develop photonic integrated circuits for high-speed interconnects.

You will perform 3D optical simulations with Lumerical and use foundry PDKs, collaborating with RF/analog and packaging teams to tape out devices and validate designs. The role emphasizes scripting, AI-assisted workflows, and post-fabrication characterization to close the loop between simulation and hardware.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in EE, Physics, Optics, or related field with 5+ years PIC design experience.
• Master's degree in EE, Physics, Optics, or related field with 3+ years PIC design experience.
• PhD in EE, Physics, Optics, or related field with 1+ year of PIC design experience.
• 2+ years hands-on with: Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, CHARGE, INTERCONNECT), and any layout editor/viewer (Cadence Virtuoso, KLayout, or equivalent), and Python.
• Hands-on design experience with silicon-photonics foundry PDKs.
• System-level understanding of optical link budgets, DWDM channel plans, OMA/TDECQ, and transceiver power allocation.

Responsibilities

• Design active (MRM, MZM, photodetectors) and passive (edge/grating couplers, power splitters, wavelength MUX/DEMUX) photonic devices from spec through tape-out using foundry PDKs and 3D structure optical simulation.
• Perform 3D photonic simulation (FDTD, MODE, INTERCONNECT, and CHARGE for carrier/electro-optic effects) to validate device performance and iterate to target specs.
• Develop and maintain script-based workflows — leveraging AI-assisted tooling — to automate parameter sweeps, layout generation, and measurement-data processing.
• Review and sign off on PIC physical layouts produced by the dedicated layout engineer from physical design team.
• Collaborate with other PIC designers, EIC designers, and package teams to run co-simulations. Align interface specs, and validate electro-optical performance in the full DWDM transceiver system.
• Execute and interpret post-fabrication characterization lab testing.
• Close the simulation-to-hardware loop by correlating characterization data with models and proposing corrections.
• Participate in cross-functional design reviews spanning component performance, tape-out readiness, and system link budget.
• Maintain internal technical documentation: design specs, simulation methodology, characterization reports, and tape-out checklists.
• Track silicon photonics, CPO, and DWDM transceiver developments, and apply emerging techniques to improve design quality and time-to-tape-out.

Skills

Python

3D photonic simulation

cross-functional collaboration

system-level understanding

Education

Bachelor's degree in EE/Physics/Optics

Master's degree in EE/Physics/Optics

PhD in EE/Physics/Optics

Tools

Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, INTERCONNECT)

Cadence Virtuoso

KLayout

Python

Job description

Qualcomm Atheros, Inc. in Santa Clara, CA is seeking an experienced Photonic IC Designer to define, design, and develop photonic integrated circuits for high-speed interconnects.

You will perform 3D optical simulations with Lumerical and use foundry PDKs, collaborating with RF/analog and packaging teams to tape out devices and validate designs. The role emphasizes scripting, AI-assisted workflows, and post-fabrication characterization to close the loop between simulation and hardware.