Silicon Photonics Design Engineer

PSI Quantum; California, Palo Alto (MO, CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 170,000; Full time

Job summary

An innovative company is on a mission to revolutionize quantum computing by developing the first truly useful quantum computers. As a part of this extraordinary journey, you will engage in cutting-edge photonic designs and collaborate with diverse teams to push the boundaries of technology. This role offers a unique opportunity to contribute to groundbreaking projects that promise to transform industries such as healthcare, finance, and energy. Join us in shaping the future and be part of a team that values exceptional talent and creativity in a dynamic work environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in photonics design and engineering.
• Expertise in fiber attach and packaging techniques.

Responsibilities

• Deliver novel photonic designs for ultra-low loss fiber-to-PIC couplers.
• Coordinate with teams to tapeout designs and meet yield requirements.

Skills

Photonics Design

Analytical Skills

Communication Skills

Team Collaboration

Problem-Solving

Education

MS in Electrical Engineering

PhD in Applied Physics

Tools

Lumerical

Tidy3D

COMSOL

RSoft

Job description

Quantum computing holds the promise of humanity's mastery over the natural world, but only if we can build a real quantum computer. PsiQuantum is on a mission to build the first real, useful quantum computers, capable of delivering the world-changing applications that the technology has long promised. We know that means we will need to build a system with roughly 1 million qubits that supports fault tolerant error correction within a scalable architecture, and a data center footprint.

By harnessing the laws of quantum physics, quantum computers can provide exponential performance increases over today's most powerful supercomputers, offering the potential for extraordinary advances across a broad range of industries including climate, energy, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, finance, agriculture, transportation, materials design, and many more.

PsiQuantum has determined the fastest path to delivering a useful quantum computer, years earlier than the rest of the industry. Our architecture is based on silicon photonics which gives us the ability to produce our components at Tier-1 semiconductor fabs such as GlobalFoundries where we leverage high-volume semiconductor manufacturing processes, the same processes that are already producing billions of chips for telecom and consumer electronics applications. We also benefit from the quantum mechanics reality that photons don't feel heat or electromagnetic interference, allowing us to take advantage of existing cryogenic cooling systems and industry standard fiber connectivity.

In 2024, PsiQuantum announced two government-funded projects to support the build-out of our first Quantum Data Centers and utility-scale quantum computers in Brisbane, Australia and Chicago, Illinois. Both projects are backed by nations that understand quantum computing's potential impact and the need to scale this technology to unlock that potential. And we won't just be building the hardware, but also the fault tolerant quantum applications that will provide industry-transforming results.

Quantum computing is not just an evolution of the decades-old advancement in compute power. It provides the key to mastering our future, not merely discovering it. The potential is enormous, and we have the plan to make it real. Come join us.

There's much more work to be done and we are looking for exceptional talent to join us on this extraordinary journey!

Responsibilities:

• Delivers novel photonic designs for the development of ultra-low loss fiber-to-PIC couplers.


• Interacts with architecture, process, and packaging teams and external vendors to iterate and drive designs toward meeting target specs and yield requirements.


• Collect feedback from stakeholders and account for manufacturing constraints in photonic designs.


• Coordinate with layout and process teams to tapeout designs.


• Apply quantitative analysis in determining root cause of highly technical problems and proposes, develop and implements solutions for corrective action

Experience/Qualifications:

• MS + 5 years experience or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Physics, or other related fields.


• Knowledge of state-of-the-art fiber attach and packaging techniques.


• Expertise with photonic design tools, such as Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL, RSoft.


• Experience with silicon photonics foundry tapeouts and PDK's.


• Proven team player with an ability to work effectively across departments, sites, time zones.


• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.


• Strong analytical and detail oriented problem-solving skills.


• Proven experience executing cross-department complex projects.


• Ability to work independently with limited direction.


• Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple priorities and deliver against a schedule.

PsiQuantum provides equal employment opportunity for all applicants and employees. PsiQuantum does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable laws.

Note: PsiQuantum will only reach out to you using an official PsiQuantum email address and will never ask you for bank account information as part of the interview process. Please report any suspicious activity to [e-mail].

We are not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.

The range below reflects the minimum and maximum target range for new hire base salary across all US locations. Actual compensation may vary outside of this range and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

For a fully qualified candidate, the expected base pay range is:

Base Pay Range

$125,000—$170,000 USD