Principal Optical Link Engineer

$190k - $240k

Full-time

Langham Recruitment

Principal Optical Link Engineer

Location: Santa Barbara, CA | Salary: $190 - 240k + Bonus + Equity

We’re working with an innovative photonics startup developing next-generation optical interconnects for AI and high-performance data centers.

We’re looking for a Principal Optical Link Engineer to lead the development, characterization, and validation of high-speed optical links—from transmitter/receiver PICs through to complete link demonstrations.

Key Responsibilities

Develop and characterize high-speed optical links at the PIC, evaluation-board, and system level.
Test and troubleshoot lasers, modulators, photodiodes, optical amplifiers, and passive photonic components.
Define and experimentally validate optical link budgets, including dispersion, polarization, sensitivity, and other impairments.
Perform advanced measurements using AWGs, oscilloscopes, VNAs, BER testers, OSAs, tunable lasers, and optical power meters.
Lead root-cause investigations across photonics, high-speed electronics, and DSP.
Develop automated test and analysis frameworks using Python.
Establish scalable characterization setups and measurement methodologies for multi-terabit links.
Collaborate with PIC design, packaging, firmware, and DSP teams while mentoring engineers.

Requirements

BS in Electrical Engineering, Optics/Photonics, Physics, or related field; MS/PhD preferred.
7+ years’ experience developing and validating high-speed optical communication links.
Hands-on experience with 100G+/lane optical links; coherent experience is a plus.
Strong PIC-level characterization experience.
Excellent understanding of link budgets, OSNR, dispersion, polarization, jitter, equalization, and crosstalk.
Strong Python/test automation skills.
Experience with silicon photonics, InP photonics, or integrated optical engines.
Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.

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Vacancy posted 3 days ago

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