Senior Design Automation Engineer

Flexcompute is a cutting-edge technology startup that specializes in ultra-fast simulation technology. Our products are utilized by companies in designing and optimizing technology products, with applications ranging from designing airplanes and cars to wind turbines and quantum computing chips. Our customer base includes both household names and startups in emerging industries. Our company was founded by world-renowned leaders in simulation technology from Stanford University and MIT. Backed by top VC firms, we are poised to disrupt the billion-dollar engineering simulation industry with our fast-growing trajectory

About the Role

We’re looking for a Senior Design Automation Engineer to join the PhotonForge team. This role sits at a unique intersection of physics and applications, software engineering, and AI. You’ll work across all three to extend our end-to-end platform for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design.

PhotonForge unifies component simulation, circuit simulation, compact modeling, layout generation, PDK integration, and foundry handoff into a single platform backed by Flexcompute’s GPU-accelerated Tidy3D multi-physics solvers. You’ll build EDA tool integrations, develop physics-driven application workflows, and leverage AI to make photonic design faster and more accessible.

This is a remote position. Preference may be given to candidates based in the Boston area who are open to in-person or hybrid work.

What You’ll Do

Build Interfaces & Connectors to EDA Tools

• Develop and maintain integrations between PhotonForge and industry-standard EDA tools for layout, DRC, LVS, and schematic-driven design.

• Enable seamless round-trip workflows between EDA environments, PhotonForge, and Tidy3D simulation.

• Build Python-based APIs and automation scripts that connect PhotonForge to existing toolchains.

Drive Physics & Application Workflows

• Work with end users on real-world design challenges in quantum photonics, RF photonics, co-packaged optics, or silicon photonics.

• Develop application workflows and reference designs across component simulation, circuit simulation, compact modeling, and layout.

• Leverage Flexcompute’s GPU-accelerated Tidy3D multi-physics solvers (tackling optical, RF, charge, and thermal physics) to build fabrication-aware simulation pipelines.

Requirements

• Strong physics or engineering foundation. Degree (MS or PhD preferred) in electrical engineering, applied physics, photonics, or a related field. Working knowledge of Maxwell’sequations, waveguide theory, and semiconductor device physics.

• A few years of industry experience. You’ve worked in photonic chip design, EDA tool development, semiconductor process integration, or a related role.

• Proficient in Python. Comfortable building APIs, automation scripts, and data pipelines. Experience with C++ is welcome but not required.

• Familiar with EDA and PIC design tools. Experience with industry-standard EDA platforms and photonic design tools. You understand GDSII, DRC, LVS, PDKs, and compact models.

• AI-forward. You actively use AI tools and are excited about building AI-powered features into engineering products.

• A builder at heart. You’d rather build a working prototype than write a specification, and you thrive with ownership over problems that span physics, software, and product.

Nice to Have

• Domain expertise in quantum photonics, RF/microwave photonics, co-packaged optics, or optical interconnects for AI datacenters

• Experience building connectors or plugins for EDA platforms

• Background in compact model generation, S-parameter extraction, or circuit-level photonic simulation

• Experience with agentic AI frameworks, LLM-based automation tools, or AI product development
• Contributions to open-source photonics or EDA tooling

What We Offer
• A front-row seat at the intersection of AI and photonics, two of the fastest-moving fields in tech
• The chance to shape how an entire generation of engineers learns to work with AI-driven
simulation
• A collaborative, technically deep team that values curiosity and initiative

Benefits

• Competitive compensation with equity of a fast-growing startup.
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance.
• 401(k) Contribution.
• Gym allowance.
• Friendly, thoughtful, and intelligent coworkers.