Silicon Photonics Architect — Interface Pathfinding Leader

Micron Technology; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 159,000 - 347,000; Full time

Job summary

Micron Technology is seeking a Senior Member of Technical Staff — Silicon Photonics Engineer (Interface Pathfinding) to lead the photonics discipline. You will guide technology selection, evaluate partner PIC designs, and co-specify test-chip architectures with the electrical I/O team to enable photonic interconnect at Micron.

You’ll build optical models, define budgets, and craft detailed specifications while collaborating with senior designers in a fast-moving environment.

Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in silicon photonics or optical interconnect development.
• At least one silicon photonics fabrication cycle (PIC tape-out or MPW shuttle run).
• Proficiency with photonic simulation tools (Lumerical, OptoDesigner, Photon Design, or equivalents).
• Solid understanding of silicon photonics process fundamentals — waveguide design rules, modulator and photodetector device physics, and PDK-based design flow.
• Experience developing optical link budgets and evaluating photonic link performance (insertion loss, coupling efficiency, modulation depth, BER).
• Strong written communication skills — this role produces technology assessments and specifications, not just simulations.
• It is expected that the candidate will be proficient in leveraging AI for productivity

Responsibilities

• Photonic Technology Direction: Serve as Micron’s internal SME on silicon photonics — evaluate competing optical interconnect approaches and provide grounded, data-driven technology recommendations to program leadership.
• Partner PIC Design Evaluation: Independently verify and critically assess partner PIC designs — run simulations, validate performance claims, perform sensitivity and tolerance analyses, and identify design risks that partners may understate.
• Test-Chip Co-Specification: Collaborate with the electrical I/O team to define test-chip features, test structures, and measurement interfaces required to evaluate photonic link performance.
• Link Architecture & Budgeting: Develop optical link budgets, define modulation format and wavelength strategy, and establish loss, power, and BER targets for photonic interconnect proof-of-concepts.
• Behavioral Modeling: Build photonic behavioral models (Verilog-A, real-number modeling, or equivalent) that integrate into the team’s mixed-signal co-simulation environment — enabling system-level analysis across the electrical-optical boundary.
• Optical Characterization: Define optical test and measurement requirements for post-silicon bring-up.
• Design Documentation: Author technology assessments, link budget analyses, partner design reviews, and test-chip specifications that serve as the authoritative reference for photonic interconnect decisions.

Job description

Micron Technology is seeking a Senior Member of Technical Staff — Silicon Photonics Engineer (Interface Pathfinding) to lead the photonics discipline. You will guide technology selection, evaluate partner PIC designs, and co-specify test-chip architectures with the electrical I/O team to enable photonic interconnect at Micron.

You’ll build optical models, define budgets, and craft detailed specifications while collaborating with senior designers in a fast-moving environment.