Silicon Photonics Engineer for AI Data‑Center Optics

5V Tech; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 140,000 - 210,000; Full time

Job summary

5V Tech in the San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a hands-on photonics engineer to bring silicon photonic devices into production AI hardware. You will design, simulate, characterize, and bring up PICs for co-packaged optical engines used in high-bandwidth data center networking.

Collaborating with packaging, electrical, laser and systems teams, you will drive tape-outs with foundries and push towards scalable, volume manufacturing of photonic solutions for AI clusters.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in silicon photonics or integrated photonics in industry.
• Hands-on experience designing PIC components such as modulators, photodetectors, and grating/edge couplers.
• Proficiency with photonic simulation tools such as Lumerical, FDTD or eigenmode solvers.
• Experience taking designs through tape-out with a silicon photonics foundry.
• Lab experience with optical test equipment and high-speed characterization.
• Understanding of high-speed optical links, PAM4 signalling and link budgets.
• Strong data analysis skills using Python or MATLAB.
• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics or a related field.

Responsibilities

• Design and simulate silicon photonic components including modulators, photodetectors, waveguides and couplers.
• Develop photonic integrated circuits for co-packaged optics and high-speed optical interconnect.
• Run optical and electro-optical characterisation of devices and PICs at wafer and die level.
• Work with foundry partners on PDKs, process variation and tape-out readiness.
• Partner with packaging teams on fiber attach, laser integration and optical coupling.
• Collaborate with electrical, SerDes and systems teams on link budgets and performance targets.
• Analyse test data to drive design iterations, yield improvements and production readiness.
• Contribute to architecture decisions for next-generation optical engines.

Skills

Silicon photonics

PIC design

Photonic simulation

Lab measurement

Python or MATLAB

Tape-out experience

Education

MS/PhD in EE/Physics/Optics

Tools

Lumerical

FDTD

Eigenmode solvers

Job description

5V Tech in the San Francisco Bay Area is seeking a hands-on photonics engineer to bring silicon photonic devices into production AI hardware. You will design, simulate, characterize, and bring up PICs for co-packaged optical engines used in high-bandwidth data center networking.

Collaborating with packaging, electrical, laser and systems teams, you will drive tape-outs with foundries and push towards scalable, volume manufacturing of photonic solutions for AI clusters.