High-Speed Photonics Engineer

Job Description

Job Title: Senior High-Speed Photonics Engineer. Location: Palo Alto, California, United States

Responsibilities:

• Design, simulate, and optimize integrated photonic devices and photonic integrated circuits for quantum computing applications.
• Own end-to-end development of active photonic devices including design, modeling, testing, and data analysis.
• Lead photonic tapeouts including layout, design of experiments, planning, and coordination with packaging and electronic driver teams.
• Work with test engineering teams to plan and execute automated high-volume testing of photonic components;
• Develop and improve test methodologies for photonic device characterization and assembly-level testing.
• Analyze measurement data to extract insights and improve device and circuit performance.
• Develop new data analysis methods and tools for photonic systems.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams including photonics, electronics, materials science, process engineering, and packaging teams.
• Contribute to mentoring junior engineers and supporting team growth.
• Communicate technical findings clearly across engineering and leadership teams.

Qualifications:

• Master’s or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of industrial experience in integrated photonics.
• Strong experience in active photonic devices such as electro-optic phase shifters, switches, and modulators.
• Experience with high-speed photonic systems (10 GHz bandwidth and beyond is a plus);
• Proficiency with photonic design and simulation tools such as Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL, and Meep.
• Experience in photonic layout tools such as IPKISS or GDSFactory.
• Strong programming skills in Python and MATLAB.
• Strong data analysis and visualization skills for design decision-making.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Preferred:

• Experience with RF concepts, signal integrity, and tools such as HFSS or ADS.
• Experience with photonic tapeouts and foundry processes;
• Knowledge of photonic packaging and photonic-electronic interfaces (drivers, TIAs).
• Familiarity with S-parameter measurements and time-domain analysis of photonic devices.
• Experience with high-speed characterization of photonic systems.
• Strong project planning and management skills.
• Experience mentoring junior engineers.

Benefits and Compensation:

• Base salary range: $150,000 to $202,000 depending on location and experience.
• Equity and full employee benefits package.
• Exposure to cutting-edge quantum photonics research and large-scale quantum computing development.
• Opportunity to work on utility-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing systems;
• Collaboration with global teams across engineering, manufacturing, and research domains.

Other Information:

• PsiQuantum is building silicon photonics based large-scale quantum computers.
• The role is part of a mission to develop million-qubit fault-tolerant systems.
• Work involves close collaboration with test, manufacturing, packaging, and system teams.
• Equal opportunity employer with inclusive hiring practices;
• Candidates must follow application requirements including cover letter instruction and verification fields.