Silicon Photonics Designer

thrively; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Work on meaningful technical problems

Influence device and product development

Contribute across full device lifecycle

Job summary

Thrively is seeking a Silicon Photonics Designer to contribute to developing advanced optical switching technology for AI infrastructure. You will work within a technical team to optimize designs and collaborate on fabricating photonic components. Candidates should have a PhD in a relevant field and at least 2 years of silicon photonics experience. This position is ideal for those who thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy hands-on device development. Join our well-funded early-stage company making significant advancements in photonics technology.

Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Physics, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline.
• 2+ years of hands-on silicon photonics experience in an industry setting.
• Strong understanding of microfabrication processes and design constraints.
• Experience with photonic simulation tools and Python.

Responsibilities

• Contribute as a key member of the photonics design team.
• Drive specific photonic device designs and collaborate on fabrication.
• Design photonic components that support advanced switching technology.
• Develop and support photonic component testing and characterization.

Skills

Silicon photonics experience

Microfabrication processes

Photonic simulation tools

Python proficiency

Collaboration in engineering

Education

PhD in Electrical Engineering or related discipline

Tools

FDTD

EME

FEM

FIT

Job description

Thrively is partnering with a well-funded, early-stage photonics company developing next-generation optical switching technology for AI and high-performance computing infrastructure.

This team is building advanced silicon photonics-based switching solutions designed to address key bottlenecks in modern data centers, including power consumption, scalability, and interconnect performance. Their technology enables more efficient, high-bandwidth optical connectivity for large-scale compute environments and has the potential to play a meaningful role in the future of AI infrastructure.

This is an opportunity to join a highly technical team working at the intersection of integrated photonics, semiconductor fabrication, and system-level hardware innovation.

Job Overview

Our client is seeking a Silicon Photonics Designer to contribute to the development of complex photonic devices and photonic integrated circuits, from design through fabrication, testing, and analysis.

This individual will play an important role within a small photonics team, helping optimize device performance, iterate from tape‑out feedback, and collaborate across engineering disciplines to support product-level objectives. The role is well suited for someone who thrives in a fast‑paced startup environment, enjoys solving technical problems, and is excited by hands‑on photonic device development.

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute as a key member of the photonics design team, partnering with adjacent engineering groups to optimize chip designs for system-level requirements
• Drive specific photonic device designs and collaborate on fabrication approaches and design improvements
• Design photonic components and photonic integrated circuits that support advanced optical switching technology
• Develop, execute, and support photonic component and system-level testing and characterization
• Work cross-functionally with systems, process, fabrication, packaging, and related engineering teams to improve device and product performance
• Analyze tape-out and characterization feedback to refine and improve photonic device designs
• Participate in technical discussions related to device performance, manufacturability, and future design direction

Required Qualifications

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Applied Physics, Chemistry, or a related technical discipline
• 2+ years of hands‑on silicon photonics experience in an industry setting
• Strong understanding of microfabrication processes and the design constraints they impose on photonic devices
• Strong experience with photonic simulation tools such as FDTD, EME, FEM, or FIT
• Strong proficiency in Python
• Experience with photonic integrated circuit layout and photonics foundry tape-out workflows
• Experience designing and executing detailed photonic device experiments and characterization protocols
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to collaborate effectively in a highly cross‑functional engineering environment

Nice to Have

• Experience working on passive photonic device design
• Familiarity with rapid design iteration in a tape-out-driven development environment
• Experience working closely with fabrication, process, or packaging teams
• Exposure to layout/code-based photonic design workflows

Why This Opportunity

• Join a well-funded early-stage company building differentiated photonics technology for AI infrastructure
• Work on meaningful technical problems tied to scaling next-generation data center systems
• Be part of a small, high-impact team where your work will directly influence device and product development
• Contribute across the full device lifecycle, from design and simulation through fabrication feedback and characterization