Optical Engineer, Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) Design & Analysis

Job Title: Optical Engineer, Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) Design & Analysis

Locations: Redmond, WA

Duration: 12 Months contract on W2

Our client is seeking a passionate Optical Engineer to join research and development team. This role focuses on delivering state-of-the-art near-to-eye display system technologies. The ideal candidate will have expertise in novel integrated photonics device design and metrology, gained through a Ph.D. or industry experience.

Must-Have Skills

PIC Design & Simulation: 3 years designing, simulating, and laying out photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for visible/IR wavelengths.

Photonic Modeling Tools: Proficiency with tools like Lumerical, Ansys Photonics, Synopsys RSoft, or COMSOL for device/circuit analysis.

PIC Layout & Tapeout: Experience with layout tools (KLayout, Cadence Virtuoso, gdsfactory), GDSII generation, and supporting tapeouts at commercial foundries.

Nice-to-Have Skills:

Active PIC Design & Validation: Experience in active PIC design, fabrication, and validation, especially for visible wavelengths.

Device Characterization: Skills in optical/electro-optic measurements, fiber optics, free-space optics, and PIC packaging.

Statistical Modeling & Sensitivity Analysis: Experience in design space exploration, yield modeling, and incorporating fabrication constraints.

Responsibilities:

• Design and develop complete Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), from fundamental component blocks to full-circuit implementations, with a strong emphasis on active device integration.
• Generate, verify, and prepare fabrication-ready layout files, ensuring compliance with foundry Process Design Kits (PDKs) for external fabrication.
• Conduct systematic design analysis, including optimization and parametric studies, to guide design decisions.
• Support the entire design-to-fabrication pipeline, from initial concept through tapeout, coordinating closely with cross-functional teams and external partners.
• Collaborate with program leadership, Technical Program Managers (TPMs),and researchers on PIC designs that align with overall program objectives.

Minimum Qualifications

• MS or Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Physics, or a closely related field.
• 3 years of hands-on experience in the design, simulation, and layout of PICs for visible or IR wavelengths on platforms such as Si, SiN, LiNbO, or BTO.
• 3 years of experience utilizing photonic device simulation and electromagnetic modeling tools for both component and circuit-level analysis (e.g., Lumerical FDTD/MODE/DEVICE, Ansys Photonics, Synopsys RSoft, or COMSOL Multiphysics).
• 2 years of experience with PIC layout tools and GDSII generation (e.g., KLayout, Cadence Virtuoso, gdsfactory, or equivalent), including familiarity with foundry PDK integration and design rule verification.
• 2 years of experience with scientific programming (e.g., Python or MATLAB) for scripting, design automation, and analysis.
• 1 years of experience supporting or executing PIC tapeouts at a commercial semiconductor foundry, including an understanding of fabrication process constraints (e.g., propagation losses, sidewall roughness, etch non-idealities).

Preferred Qualifications

• 3 years experience in active PIC design, fabrication, and validation, particularly for visible wavelengths on LiNbO or BTO platforms.
• 3 years of experience in design space exploration, sensitivity analysis, and statistical performance/yield modeling for photonic circuits.
• 3 years of experience with one or more major photonic simulation tool suites (e.g., Lumerical, Synopsys, COMSOL, or equivalent).
• 2 years of experience utilizing photonic circuit-level simulation tools (e.g., Lumerical Interconnect, Synopsys OptSim, or VPIphotonics) for system-level performance evaluation.
• 2 years of experience in photonic device characterization and test, including both optical and electro-optic measurements.
• 1 years experience with fiber optics, free-space optics, PIC packaging, and comprehensive device characterization.
• 1 years experience with semiconductor fabrication processes and a deep understanding of process-induced performance limitations, such as optical losses, sidewall roughness, and process variability.
• Demonstrated ability to directly incorporate fabrication constraints into PIC designs (e.g., optimizing minimum feature sizes and bend radii, implementing effective tapering strategies, and using layout techniques to mitigate scattering and coupling losses).