Senior Photonics Engineer and Team Leader

Company Overview

APIC Corporation, headquartered in Culver City, California, is a leader in photonics technology with a 25-year history of innovation. The company specializes in chip-scale optical links and networks for chip-to-chip data communications. Over the past two decades, APIC has developed cutting-edge proprietary technologies supported by $150 million in government contracts, including sponsorships from DARPA and the US Navy. The company is now transitioning from research and development to prototyping and volume production of photonically enhanced edge and embedded computers and servers, with the ultimate goal of building high-performance computers and supercomputers. (Biographical information on our CEO and CTO appears at the end of this announcement.)

Position Overview

APIC Corporation is seeking a highly skilled and experienced Senior Photonic Design Engineer. This role is open to U.S. citizens or current green card holders. In this senior role, you will develop innovative silicon photonics components and photonic integrated circuits (PICs) while leading a team of talented engineers and scientists. Your efforts will be critical for developing the next generation of embedded processors, data centers, high-performance computers, and supercomputers. You will engage in the entire product lifecycle—from concept design, modeling, and simulation to layout, fabrication, packaging, and product testing—combining both supervisory responsibilities and hands-on technical work.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead, supervise, and manage a small team of engineers and scientists.
• Mentor junior team members to encourage professional growth and technical excellence.
• Design, model, and simulate passive and active silicon-photonic devices and circuits, including modulators, ring filters, Ge photodetectors, edge couplers, and grating couplers.
• Develop and optimize silicon photonic fabrication processes.
• Oversee the design rule checking (DRC) process and manage tape-out procedures.
• Develop comprehensive test plans and conduct device and PIC testing and characterization measurements.
• Coordinate packaging, chip interface requirements, and light source specification development in collaboration with other APIC teams.
• Report team activities, progress, and project status to APIC management and external stakeholders.
• Work directly with silicon photonic foundry engineers to ensure process compatibility and quality control.
• Manage team resources, schedules, and project deadlines.

Qualifications

Citizenship: U.S. citizen or current green card holder required.

Education and Experience:

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field with a focus on Integrated Photonics.
• At least 5 years of direct experience in designing silicon photonics devices.

Technical Proficiency:

• Lumerical simulation tools and layout design software.
• Practical experience with the tape-out process in a silicon photonics foundry, including familiarity with process design kits (PDKs) and foundry processes.
• Expertise in both passive and active silicon photonic components.
• Hands-on experience with photonic foundry processes and photonic testing equipment.

Interpersonal Skills:

• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to work independently and in leadership roles.

Corporate bios can be found at https://www.apichip.com/check-out-who-works-at-apic/