Principal III-V Photonic Chip Engineering Lead

Principal III-V Photonic Chip Engineering Lead - Bay Area
$150,000 – $250,000 + Bonus + Stock Options

A leading optical communications company is hiring a Principal-level engineer to lead the development of advanced III-V photonic chips for next-generation data centre and AI applications.

The Role:
You will drive end-to-end development — from epitaxy and device design through fabrication, testing, and production — working closely with external foundries and cross-functional teams.


Key Responsibilities

• Design III-V epitaxial structures (MQWs, waveguides)
• Develop high-speed devices (DFB lasers, EAM/MZM, photodetectors)
• Design and simulate photonic integrated circuits (PICs)
• Optimise fabrication processes with foundry partners
• Lead testing, data analysis, and performance improvement
• Collaborate with packaging and system teams

Requirements

• MSc or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Semiconductor Devices, or related field
• Deep expertise in III-V materials, epitaxy, device physics, and fabrication
• Proven leadership in at least one of the following:
  • ≥100 mW DFB lasers (O-band or C-band), or
  • ≥100 Gb/s electro-absorption modulators (EML/EAM/MZM)
• Strong simulation and modelling skills (optical + RF + device physics)
• Hands-on experience with device testing and characterisation
• Experience working with external foundries and driving process optimisation

Compensation

• $150,000 – $250,000 base salary
• Bonus
• Stock options / equity participation
• Full benefits package