Silicon Photonics Design Engineer (San Diego)

Job Description:

The successful candidate will join our PIC Design team developing cutting-edge silicon photonics devices. This person will learn and grow rapidly, while having enormous impact across all technical and business activities in a fast-paced startup environment.

Responsibilities:

● Design, simulate, and optimize silicon photonic active and passive components

● Implement design automation for simulation and layout tools

● Support design and verification of PIC layout design

● Collaborate with integration and test teams to optimize design based on aligned requirements

● Contribute to the development of new Intellectual Property related to photonic/RF designs

Required:

● Strong desire to contribute to a high-impact photonics company

● Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering or a related field, or M.S. with 2+ years of industry experience

● Practical experience in modeling photonic devices or systems with design software (Lumerical, Tidy3D, or similar)

● Eligible to work in the United States or Taiwan

Desirable:

● Experience in high-speed modulator design and characterization

● Hands-on PIC tapeout experience with commercial SiPh foundries using Cadence, GDSfactory, or other similar code-based layout tools

● Experience developing PICs that have reached HVM for IM-DD or coherent applications 

● Hands-on experience in high-speed electrode or RF design using HFSS, ADS, or similar tools

● Proficient in programming (e.g., Python, MATLAB) for design automation and data analysis with version control experience

● Solid understanding of optical transceiver architectures, system-level requirements, and link analysis

● Experience in photonic testing and integration at the wafer, die, and package levels 

● Working knowledge of coherent optical systems and CPO architectures is a plus

● Familiarity with high-speed analog circuits (e.g., TIAs, modulator drivers) is a plus

Compensation and Benefits:

● Salary range: $90,000 – $220,000 (for US employees, role level and salary commensurate with experience and impact)

● Equity

● Health Benefits

● Flexible work hours

● Opportunity for rapid advancement

Location:

This role will generally be hybrid, based in Carlsbad (Greater San Diego), CA or Taiwan, with flexibility open for discussion.

About the Company:

Polaris Electro-Optics is redefining optical interconnects through our breakthrough Ferroelectric Nematic Glass (FenGlass™) technology, enabling ultra-fast, low-power silicon photonic modulators that unlock 400 G/lane and beyond. We’re a Series-A startup backed by leading investors and working with the world’s top datacom and coherent ecosystem players. Join us to define the next generation of optical connectivity.

Send your resume and cover letter to View email address on apply.placed-app.com