Silicon Photonics Engineer

Silicon Photonics Engineer

Psionic Inc is a startup focused on lidar sensors and navigation systems for autonomous vehicles. We value our customer relationships our diverse and dynamic work environment and our employees career satisfaction. We offer a competitive salary and attractive benefits package.

We are adding a motivated Silicon Photonics Engineer to join our small fast-moving team and help take photonic integrated circuits from concept to silicon. The successful candidate will be responsible for the design layout and verification of photonic integrated circuits (PIC) for FMCW lidar systems. You will work directly with commercial foundries and see your layouts turn into fabricated chips. The role requires experience with PIC layout tools and foundry tape outs to complement our on-site team in Hampton VA.

Job Description

The primary purpose of this position is to design and develop silicon photonic components and subsystems. You will work with a high-performing multidisciplinary engineering team. A breadth of engineering expertise building real world high-speed electro-optical systems is needed. Excellent communications skills are critical for success.

The successful candidate requires knowledge necessary to create and maintain PDK-based layouts for fabrication using script-driven tools. The job requires working directly with commercial CMOS/photonic foundries to prepare tape-outs resolve DRC issues and support fabrication runs. The applicant will interact with a broad interdisciplinary team composed of experts in integrated photonics device and circuit design free space optical design device test quality electrical ICs design chip assembly component packaging etc.

Our designs must perform under stringent environmental conditions. Integrated optical sensors and supporting electronics are necessary to achieve high-performance requirements. The successful candidate will be familiar with the integrated photonics lab testing techniques and procedures to analyze and predict system performance across highly variable environmental conditions. The work involves hardware development as well as testing and conducting performance validation and verification of photonic devices.

Responsibilities

• Design silicon photonic components and subsystems from the ground up.
• Create and maintain PDK-based layouts for fabrication using script-driven tools.
• Work directly with commercial CMOS/photonic foundries to prepare tape-outs resolve DRC issues and support fabrication runs.
• Collaborate closely with electrical mechanical packaging and system engineers.
• Test and characterize photonic devices.
• Document designs and contribute to internal design reviews.

Education and Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering Optical Engineering Applied Physics or related field
• Hands-on experience with silicon photonics design and layout.
• Experience working with commercial foundry PDKs.
• Experience with script-based layout workflows.
• Familiarity with photonic simulation tools (FDTD EME circuit-level modeling).
• Experience with optical lab setups and photonic device testing.
• Understanding of photonic design rules and tape-out processes.
• Familiarity with silicon photonic packaging concepts and techniques (e.g. fiber attach edge/grating couplers alignment thermal management and co-packaging considerations) is a plus.
• Exposure to RF or electronic-photonic co-design and packaging is a plus.

Why Youll Like Working Here

• High-impact role: your designs go to silicon and get tested.
• Small team with high trust and minimal bureaucracy.
• Direct interaction with foundries and decision-makers.
• Mix of design coding and hands-on lab work.

Psionic Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. This position requires access to export-controlled technology or software source code and the position is subject to U.S. export control laws.

Required Experience:

IC