Sr. Engineer, Optical Validation

Ayar Labs; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 192,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equal opportunity employer

Job summary

Ayar Labs in San Jose is seeking an Optical Validation Engineer to join our Optical Packaging team. You will develop precision optical measurement methods to characterize fiber-to-chip interfaces and validate coupling performance.

You will work with internal engineering teams and suppliers, correlating lab measurements with models to identify sources of excess loss and drive component improvements. The role combines free-space optics, metrology, and optical modeling, requiring hands-on

Qualifications

• BS in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering with 2+ years experience.
• Experience independently developing optical characterization methods for components or packaged devices.
• Strong understanding of Gaussian beam optics, fiber modes, free-space propagation, and fiber-to-chip coupling.
• Hands-on experience in experimental free-space optics.
• Proficiency in Zemax, Code V, or equivalent optical modeling tools for coupling and tolerance analysis.
• Experience designing experiments and analyzing optical data to identify physical root causes.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly across engineering disciplines and with suppliers.

Responsibilities

• Develop optical characterization setups for fiber arrays, connectors, and micro-optical components.
• Characterize optical components and interfaces to assess performance against design requirements.
• Model optical propagation and coupling to quantify sensitivity to geometry, alignment, and component variation.
• Correlate component, wafer, and package measurements with optical models to identify the physical causes of excess loss.
• Define test structures and measurement requirements for new optical interfaces with photonics and packaging teams.
• Communicate findings and recommend component or assembly changes to internal teams and suppliers.

Skills

Optical characterization

Gaussian beam optics

Fiber-to-chip coupling

Free-space optics

Optical modeling

Cross-functional communication

Education

BS in Optics, Photonics, Physics, or Optical Engineering

Master's or PhD (preferred)

Tools

Zemax

Code V

Job description

Location: San Jose, CA office

Ayar Labs is shattering AI data bottlenecks by moving data at the speed of light. As pioneers of co-packaged optics (CPO), we are using light instead of electricity to move data faster, further, and with a fraction of the energy needed to fuel the explosive growth of AI models.

Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world's leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs' co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures.

Ayar Labs is seeking a hands-on Optical Validation Engineer to join our Optical Packaging team in San Jose. You will develop precision optical measurement methods to characterize fiber-to-chip interfaces, quantify alignment tolerances, and validate coupling performance. This role combines free-space optics, component metrology, and optical modeling. You will correlate laboratory measurements with model predictions to isolate sources of excess loss and performance variation. Collaborating with internal engineering teams and optical suppliers, you will guide component and assembly improvements.

Responsibilities

• Develop optical characterization setups for fiber arrays, connectors, and micro-optical components.
• Characterize optical components and interfaces to assess performance against design requirements.
• Model optical propagation and coupling to quantify sensitivity to geometry, alignment, and component variation.
• Correlate component, wafer, and package measurements with optical models to identify the physical causes of excess loss.
• Define test structures and measurement requirements for new optical interfaces with photonics and packaging teams.
• Communicate findings and recommend component or assembly changes to internal teams and suppliers.

Required Qualifications

• BS in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering and 2+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience independently developing optical characterization methods for components or packaged devices.
• Strong understanding of Gaussian beam optics, fiber modes, free-space propagation, and fiber-to-chip coupling.
• Hands-on experience in experimental free-space optics.
• Proficiency in Zemax, Code V, or equivalent optical modeling tools for coupling and tolerance analysis.
• Experience designing experiments and analyzing optical data to identify physical root causes.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly and collaborate across engineering disciplines and with suppliers.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD
• Experience building, aligning, and maintaining free-space optical setups.
• Experience with fiber-array units, micro-lenses, detachable connectors, or silicon photonic coupling interfaces.
• Experience correlating component measurements with wafer-level or package-level optical performance.
• Familiarity with optical calibration standards and correlating measurements across laboratories or suppliers.
• Programming experience for measurement analysis or laboratory automation.
• Optomechanical design experience for characterization fixtures.

Salary Range: $170,000 - $192,000

Ayar Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply.