High-speed Photonic Experimentalist

Job Description

Job Title: High-speed Photonic Experimentalist. Location: Palo Alto, California, United States

Responsibilities:

• Own high-speed electro-optic characterization and performance validation of active photonic devices, circuits, and subsystems.
• Characterize electro-optic phase shifters, switches, modulators, and related photonic components.
• Perform S-parameter measurements, high-speed time-domain waveform measurements, switching response, bandwidth, insertion loss, extinction ratio, and other device and circuit-level measurements;
• Work across wafer-level probing, connectorized photonic and electronic devices, packaged assemblies, and integrated systems.
• Test integrated builds incorporating photonic chips, PCBs, drivers, FPGAs, firmware, and related hardware.
• Translate device requirements, system needs, and experimental learning objectives into executable characterization plans.
• Analyze and model measurement data to understand device, circuit, and subsystem behavior.
• Diagnose performance limitations and recommend improvements.
• Develop new characterization methods, automation tools, measurement scripts, and analysis workflows.
• Collaborate with photonics, electronics, packaging, manufacturing, test, firmware, and system validation teams.
• Help design, build, test, and improve high-performance photonic chips and assemblies.
• Document measurement methods, calibration procedures, results, and conclusions clearly.
• Mentor junior team members.

Qualifications:

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Photonics, or a related technical discipline.
• Deep understanding of integrated photonic devices and circuits, including waveguides, electro-optic phase shifters, switches, modulators, and other high-speed photonic devices.
• Hands-on experience with RF, microwave, and optical test equipment, including oscilloscopes, signal generators, VNAs, high-speed probes, optical power meters, lasers, and photodetectors;
• Experience with high-speed electro-optic measurements, including electro-optic S-parameters, waveform measurements, bandwidth, and related metrics.
• Strong understanding of RF measurement concepts, including S-parameters, impedance matching, bandwidth, signal integrity, calibration, de-embedding, and measurement uncertainty.
• Experience developing automated test systems, measurement scripts, data pipelines, or analysis tools for photonic, RF, or high-speed electro-optic characterization.
• Strong data analysis and visualization skills, with the ability to interpret measurement results and make data-driven decisions.
• Ability to develop test plans, execute measurements, analyze results, and communicate technical conclusions.
• Ability to work independently with limited direction while staying aligned with project goals.
• Strong project planning, execution, communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary engineering environment.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving requirements and ambitious technical goals.

Preferred:

• Industry experience in photonics, electrical engineering, optical engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with active photonic material platforms such as thin-film lithium niobate, BTO, doped silicon, InP, GaAs, AlGaAs, or InGaAsP.
• Understanding of photonic-electronic interfaces and integrated architectures involving PCBs, RF interconnects, high-speed drivers, FPGAs, TIAs, firmware-controlled test systems, and wirebonds.
• Experience with photonic packaging and assembly-level integration;
• Experience designing, simulating, or modeling photonic and electro-optic components using Ansys Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL Multiphysics, Meep, or similar tools.
• Experience with RF or high-speed electronic simulation tools such as HFSS, ADS, Cadence AWR, or SPICE-based tools.
• Familiarity with high-volume or manufacturing-oriented test environments, including repeatability, reproducibility, calibration control, and measurement process documentation.
• Relevant PhD or postdoctoral research experience.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Bay Area base salary: $152,000 to $175,000 per year.
• Other U.S. locations: $110,000 to $145,000 per year, where applicable.
• Actual compensation depends on qualifications, education, training, experience, geographic location, and business needs.
• Full-time employees are eligible for equity and benefits.
• Compensation ranges may be modified in the future.

Other Information:

• PsiQuantum is developing fault-tolerant, million-qubit quantum computers based on silicon photonics.
• The role involves collaboration across photonics, electronics, packaging, manufacturing, test, firmware, and system validation.
• PsiQuantum is an equal employment opportunity employer.
• PsiQuantum does not accept unsolicited resumes from employment agencies;
• Candidates should only expect recruitment communications from official PsiQuantum email addresses.
• Applicants are asked to include the word "purple" in their cover letter.
• Candidates must provide information regarding work authorization and potential employment visa sponsorship during the application process.
• The application includes optional voluntary self-identification questions regarding demographic and disability information.