Photonics IC Validation and Characterization Engineer (title will reflect experience)
Eliyan
Apply to this jobEliyan is building NuLink, a proprietary die-to-die chiplet interconnect fabric purpose-built for AI infrastructure at hyperscale. We're looking for a hands-on validation and characterization engineer working at the intersection of photonics, opto-electronics, and high-speed electrical interconnect. You'll bring up real devices, characterize optical modulators, lasers, photodiodes, and the analog circuits that drive and receive them, and feeding what you learn directly back to the designers shaping the next generation of parts.
This is a strong fit for someone who enjoys instruments and test & measurements as much as they enjoy code, and who wants to build deep, practical expertise in high-speed optical and electrical tests.
Key Responsibilities:
- Perform high-speed electrical and optical testing of photonic integrated circuits, including optical modulators, laser sources, photodiodes, drivers and TIA using >20 GHz instrumentation.
- Design and build laboratory setups comprised of light sources, detectors, fiber coupling and collimating optical components, microscopes, oscilloscopes, function and waveform generator, and translation stages.
- Build and run test automation, then analyze and present the resulting data clearly to engineering and cross-functional audiences.
- Understand raytracing and image formation, correlate SNR, OMA, ER simulations and measurements.
- Debug measurement setups and devices methodically — isolating issues across the optical, electrical, and software domains.
- Provide structured feedback to analog circuit designers on silicon performance, design quality, and operating margins.
- Contribute to test plans, characterization reports, and lab documentation.
Qualifications:
- 3+ years of experience.
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- Exposure to wireline analog and digital signal processing concepts including CTLE, FFE, DFE, SNR, OMA, ER.
- Hands-on lab instincts and a genuine interest in high-speed test and measurement.
- Experience in high-speed and optical test equipment such as fast lasers and optical receivers, optical and electrical spectrum analyzers, AWG, BERT, oscilloscopes, DCA, DSO, VNA, and LCA.
- Hands on experience in VCSEL, DFB lasers, photodiode, or SerDes, Optical I/O characterization.
- Fluency in Python for test automation and data analysis.
- Strong debugging, problem-solving, and communication skills.
- Familiarity with RF and microwave, high-speed substrate and PCB design and manufacturing.
Summary
Conduct high-speed optical/electrical testing, develop setups, analyze data, support circuit design.
Job title
Photonics IC Validation and Characterization Engineer
Experience level
3+ years
Minimum experience
3+ years exp
Industry
technology
Location requirements
Bay Area, on-site work, remote not specified
Salary
Not specified
Visa sponsorship
H-1B sponsor history
Management role
No
Required skills
Preferred skills
Specializations
Structured locations inferred from the posting.
Unknown location