Sr. Photonics Process Simulation Engineer - Santa Clara, CA

Xanadu; United States; Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Benefits

Job summary

Xanadu in Santa Clara, CA seeks a Sr. Photonics Process Simulation Engineer to drive the process simulation and modeling roadmap for ultra-low loss quantum photonic hardware.

You will bridge fab execution, multi-physics simulation, and optical data to optimize processes for industry-leading photonic ICs. You will build an integrated simulation pipeline, validate etch and taper parameters, collaborate with lithography and thin films teams, and mentor sub-teams as we scale quantum photonics from

Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Microelectronics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics or related field.
• 6+ years of hands-on semiconductor process simulation experience (optical/EBL photolithography, plasma dry-etch modeling, TCAD).
• Proficient with commercial process simulation tools (e.g., Silvaco Victory Process, Synopsys Sentaurus, KLA PROLITH, Coventor SEMulator3D).
• Experience in process development for integrated photonics and/or compound semiconductor platforms.

Responsibilities

• Build, maintain and utilize an integrated, closed-loop simulation pipeline feeding predicted 3D geometries to optical loss solvers.
• Model feature-scale geometries and line edge roughness using FEM, stochastic lithography, and 3D virtual fab tools.
• Propose and validate wafer splits to optimize plasma etch chemistry, mask erosion, taper angles, and sidewall smoothing.
• Establish a roadmap for process optimization, virtual fabrication, and predictive modeling.
• Ingest inline fab metrics and metrology data to calibrate models against measurements.

Skills

Semiconductor process simulation

Finite-element modeling

Python/SQL data pipelines

Optical loss modeling

Project leadership

Education

M.S. or Ph.D. in Microelectronics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics

Tools

Silvaco Victory Process

Synopsys Sentaurus

KLA PROLITH

Coventor SEMulator3D

Ansys Lumerical

COMSOL

Job description

Sr. Photonics Process Simulation Engineer - Santa Clara, CA

About Xanadu:
Xanadu’s mission is to build quantum computers that are useful and available to people everywhere.
At Xanadu, we are learners, innovators, researchers, collaborators and problem solvers. We are creating something that has never been built before. What we are doing is extremely hard, the classic moon shot. Few people in their life will be able to be a part of something like this, where if we are successful, the technologies we develop will solve some of the world’s most challenging problems, and literally change the world. And that is something to be excited about!
Your role and responsibilities:
We are seeking a Sr. Photonics Process Simulation Engineer to build and direct our process simulation and modeling roadmap for ultra-low loss quantum photonic hardware. In this role, you will work within Xanadu’s Fabrication Process Engineering Team to stand up predictive foundry process simulation workflows for Xanadu’s photonic devices. You will bridge the gap between semiconductor fab execution, multi-physics simulation, and optical test data to drive process optimizations that yield industry-leading propagation loss in photonic integrated circuits.
You will:

• Build, maintain and utilize an integrated, closed-loop simulation pipeline that ingests inline fab data, simulates process variations, and feeds predicted 3D geometries into optical loss solvers.
• Utilize physics-based simulations, finite element modeling, stochastic lithography modeling, and/or 3D virtual fab tools to accurately model feature-scale geometries and line edge roughness (LER) of etched features.
• Propose, simulate, and validate experimental wafer splits to optimize plasma etch chemistry, mask erosion, taper angles, and sidewall smoothing in key photonics material systems.
• Establish the roadmap for process optimization, virtual fabrication, and predictive modeling.
• Ingest inline fab metrics, top-down/cross-sectional SEM, AFM, and optical loss testing into the simulation framework to continuously calibrate surface reaction and etch physics models against measurements.
• Serve as the technical bridge between fab module engineers (litho, etch, thin films) and optical design teams to ensure process development directly supports quantum hardware requirements.

Basic qualifications and experience:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Microelectronics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related technical discipline
• 6+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor process simulation (optical/EBL photolithography, plasma dry-etch modeling, TCAD, etc.)
• Deep proficiency with commercial semiconductor process simulation tools (e.g., Silvaco Victory Process, Synopsys Sentaurus, KLA PROLITH, or Coventor SEMulator3D)
• Experience in process development for integrated photonics and/or compound semiconductor platforms
• Experience with finite-element modeling of photonics and/or semiconductor devices

Preferred qualifications and experience:

• Experience standing up new simulation pipelines from the ground up, including simulation tool downselection, pipeline architecture and roadmapping
• Experience co-integrating AI with process simulation platforms
• Proven technical leadership experience, with a track record of directing engineering sub-teams or complex cross-functional projects
• Familiarity with stochastic roughness extraction algorithms (e.g., MetroLER) and optical scattering loss physics
• Strong foundational knowledge of plasma-surface interaction kinetics, ion sputtering dynamics, and sidewall roughness mitigation techniques
• Proficiency in Python/SQL data pipelines to automate data exchange between inline fab databases, TCAD engines, and electromagnetic wave solvers (Ansys Lumerical, COMSOL)

This is for a new position. Your base salary will be determined based on your location, experience, and internal benchmarks. The base salary range is 150,000 - 200,000 USD. You will also be eligible for equity and benefits.
Our values are important. They are fundamental and lay the foundation for culture at Xanadu. Learn more about our values here.
We are an equal opportunity employer and encourage candidates of all backgrounds to apply. We are committed to building an inclusive, safe, and equitable culture and fostering an environment where our employees feel included, valued, and heard. We are committed to meeting the needs of all individuals and support a barrier-free workplace. Should you require accommodations at any point during the recruitment process please contact Recruiting at
[e-mail].
Please be advised that we may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to assist in the screening and assessment of applicants for this position. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.