R&D Test Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

KYOCERA SLD Laser, Inc. (KSLD) is a global leader in the commercialization of gallium nitride (GaN) based laser light sources. As a wholly owned subsidiary of KYOCERA Corporation, KSLD combines advanced laser innovation with the strength, scale, and manufacturing excellence of a global technology leader.

KSLD develops and manufactures high performance LaserLight™ solutions engineered to deliver exceptional brightness, efficiency, and reliability. Our GaN laser technologies enable a wide range of applications, including automotive and mobility, specialty and portable lighting, projection and AR/VR displays, biomedical instrumentation, industrial imaging, and emerging communication technologies such as LiFi. With vertically integrated capabilities and deep technical expertise, KSLD collaborates closely with customers to deliver application specific laser solutions, accelerating development timelines from concept through production. The company operates advanced R&D and manufacturing facilities in Santa Barbara, CA and Fremont, CA, supporting both innovation and high volume manufacturing needs.

KSLD is ISO 9001 certified and IATF 16949 compliant for automotive applications, and its products meet rigorous UL and IEC safety standards, reflecting a strong commitment to quality, safety, and reliability.

Recognized by Fortune magazine's Best Workplaces in Manufacturing & Production™, KSLD fosters an employee centric culture built on collaboration, technical excellence, and continuous innovation. Guided by a mission to engineer the future of light, KSLD develops laser based solutions that power next generation mobility, consumer, specialty lighting, and industrial technologies.

KSLD will continue to pioneer the future of light by developing, manufacturing and marketing innovative laser based products with high efficiency and luminance for mobility, specialty lighting, consumer, and industrial applications.

To learn more about KSLD, visit or contact the company at View email address on ziprecruiter.com or View phone number on ziprecruiter.com.

Job Description

Kyocera SLD Laser is looking for an individual to participate in achieving GaN device testing objectives in the Advanced Development group at Kyocera SLD Laser. The successful candidate will be hands-on, self-motivated, and detail oriented. The candidate will possess the skills described in this opportunity, including familiarity with device physics, opto-mechanical and opto-electronic systems, testing software and equipment, as well as excellent organizational and communication skills, attention to detail and eagerness to be a team player. The candidate will be part of the Advanced Development Group, the group which is at the heart of the research and development of novel semiconductor devices at the core of Kyocera SLD Laser's state-of-the-art products, working closely with other R&D technicians, engineers and scientists, contributing substantially for the design and optimization of our devices.

In this role, the responsibilities of the successful candidate will include carrying out relevant development, modification and maintenance of test equipment, implementing software and setups for testing and characterization of laser diodes and processed test structures. The candidate will use computer languages such as LabVIEW, Matlab or Python to develop testing setups and use SQL to load results in databases. The candidate will also participate in the design and be responsible for the assembly, maintenance and modification of specialty characterization setups necessary to fully evaluate the devices fabricated by the team and the materials they are made of.

Specific Responsibilities

• Ownership of existing test equipment: troubleshooting, maintenance, calibration, and modification of test setups according to the needs of different projects and company goals.
• Ownership of existing OEM equipment.
• Ownership of test data and coordination with SQL database owners to ensure data integrity and quality.
• Create and maintain queries and scripts for accessing, analyzing, and summarizing collected data.
• Design, assembly, validation testing, documentation, maintenance and calibration of specialty test setups for novel opto-electronic devices and materials.
• Develop software interfaces for automated or semi-automated test equipment and setups using LabVIEW (preferred) or optional languages such as Matlab and Python; update/upgrade current and new software interfaces.

Experience and Skills

• MS or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related fields.
• Self-motivated and willing to assume ownership of projects.
• Experience with optoelectronic test requirements, solutions, and systems.
• Hands-on experience with test equipment, such as oscilloscopes, DC power supplies, microscopes, cameras, spectrometers, optical components, automated and semi-automated device testers, and motion control units.
• Solid understanding of relational databases; able to understand structure and define new structures to represent new data sets.
• Experience with design, assembly, and validation testing of test systems used to test optoelectronic devices such as light emitting diodes, laser diodes, photo diodes, etc.
• Proficiency in computer languages used to automate test systems, such as LabVIEW (preferred), Matlab, Python.
• Experience with SQL programming, JMP, Python, and Matlab preferred.
• Familiar with device physics and understanding of opto-electronic devices, semiconductor lasers. GaN experience is preferred.
• Experience with opto-electronic device failure analysis.
• Good PC and Microsoft Office skills.
• Good written and verbal communication and presentation skills.
• Excellent problem solving and decision-making skills.
• Works with diverse teams across multi-disciplinary fields.

The full time base salary range for the position of R&D Test Engineer is $110,000 to $130,000 per annum. The range reflects the minimum and maximum possible base salary for new hires for the role, based on the advertised location. Individual pay is determined by several factors including work location, job related skills, experience, and relevant education and training. For more information about the base salary range applicable to the work location, talk to the recruiter.

Kyocera SLD Laser, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, age, physical or mental disability, legally protected medical condition, military or veteran status, marital status, domestic partner status, sexual orientation, genetic information, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal laws.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this job. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and requirements of personnel as classified.