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Reference:BH-2353
Sector:Electrical Engineering, Photonics / Opto
Salary:$200,000 to $250,000 Per Annum
Benefits:Bonus & Equity
Town/City:Santa Barbara
Contract Type:Permanent
Principal Photonic Design Engineer
Santa Barbara, CA (preferred) / Remote
$240K + Bonus + Equity
We’re hiring a Senior / Principal Photonic Design Engineer to lead the design and development of photonic integrated circuits for next-generation optical interconnects in AI data centre environments.
You will own the full PIC lifecycle—from device design and simulation through layout, packaging, PCB integration, and system-level validation—helping deliver robust, production-ready components for high-speed datacom transceivers.
The role sits between device physics, system performance, and manufacturability, working closely with packaging, test, and systems teams to push coherent optical link technology forward.
Key responsibilities
- Design and optimise active and passive photonic components (modulators, detectors, waveguides, lasers)
- Run optical, EM, and device-level simulations and interpret results
- Plan and execute DOEs for device optimisation and yield improvement
- Develop PIC layouts using industry-standard design tools
- Perform system-level modelling of optical links using simulated and measured data
- Support packaging, PCB integration, and assembly of PIC-based systems
- Define test plans and validation strategies for photonic components
- Lead reliability, failure analysis, and yield learning activities
Requirements
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field
- 5+ years’ experience in photonic or PIC design for telecom/datacom
- Experience with optical transceivers (modulators, lasers, photodiodes, passive PICs)
- Strong understanding of system-level optical link behaviour
- Hands-on experience with PIC testing, packaging, and qualification
- Familiarity with photonics simulation and layout tools
- Ability to work across device, system, and hardware domains
What’s on offer
- $240K + Bonus + Equity
- Full ownership of end-to-end photonic design work
- High-impact role in AI-focused optical interconnects
- Fast-moving, deep-tech startup environment
