Agentic Photonic Design Engineer

Role Description

We're looking for an Agentic Photonic Design Engineer to join the PhotonForge team. This is a software development role at the intersection of photonic design automation, EDA integration, and agentic AI. You'll extend our end-to-end platform for photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design, working in Python and navigating a C++ codebase to ship production integrations and AI-native workflows.

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 design agentic tools that 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; read, debug, and extend C++ components where integrations touch the core platform.
• Design Agentic & AI-Native Workflows
  • Build agentic tools and automation that help engineers set up layout, simulation, and verification with less manual friction.
  • Prototype and ship AI-powered features inside PhotonForge and adjacent developer experiences (e.g., scripted flows, assistants, workflow agents).
• 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.

Qualifications

• Software developer first. You write production-quality Python and are comfortable reading, debugging, and contributing to C++ codebases (our platform includes performance-critical native components).
• Hands-on EDA and PIC flow experience. You've worked with industry-standard EDA platforms and photonic design tools and understand real tapeout-oriented workflows: GDSII, DRC, LVS, PDKs, schematic-driven design, and compact models.
• Strong physics or engineering foundation. Degree (MS or PhD preferred) in electrical engineering, applied physics, photonics, or a related field. Working knowledge of Maxwell's equations, waveguide theory, and semiconductor device physics.
• AI-native builder. You actively use AI tools in your own work and are motivated to build agentic automation into engineering products, not just consume off-the-shelf chat interfaces.
• A builder at heart. You'd rather ship a working prototype than write a specification, and you thrive with ownership over problems that span EDA integration, software, and product.

Nice to Have

• Experience training or fine-tuning ML/AI models (reinforcement learning, surrogate modeling, physics-inspired neural networks, vision-language models, and similar approaches).
• 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.

Benefits

• 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.
• 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.