Principal Photonic Device Design Engineer

Location: This role is based onsite at our office in Santa Barbara, CA.
Travel: Less than 10%
Job ID: 1888

The Role:

We are seeking a Principal Photonic Device Design Engineer to join our integrated photonics team. In this role, you will serve as a technical leader for the design and development of semiconductor lasers and other active photonic devices for heterogeneous integrated platforms supporting scalable quantum and classical systems. You will define device architecture and technology roadmaps, lead designs from concept through production qualification, and provide technical direction across multidisciplinary development programs.

Responsibilities:

• Lead the development of semiconductor lasers and related active photonic-device architectures.
• Translate product and system requirements into device specifications, epitaxial designs, optical structures, mask layouts, and verification plans.
• Own critical device designs from modeling and simulation through tape-out, fabrication, characterization, optimization, and production qualification.
• Establish design methodologies, modeling practices, design rules, and verification standards.
• Lead design-of-experiment activities and data analysis to improve device performance, yield, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Partner with process engineers, epitaxial suppliers, and foundries to align device designs with fabrication capabilities and manufacturing requirements.
• Lead cross-functional technical collaboration across photonics, packaging, test, electronics, controls, product, and system engineering.
• Provide technical direction, design reviews, and mentorship to engineers, and support technology transfer and production ramp.

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Optics, Photonics, Materials Science, or a related field and 5+ years of experience, or 8+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Deep expertise in semiconductor lasers, III-V photonics, integrated photonics, or heterogeneous photonic integration.
• Demonstrated success developing active photonic devices through multiple design, fabrication, and characterization cycles.
• Extensive experience with photonic-device modeling, simulation, mask layout, fabrication, and design verification.
• Strong understanding of semiconductor laser physics, III-V materials, epitaxial structures, optical cavities, thermal behavior, and fabrication processes.
• Proven ability to define device architectures, resolve complex multidisciplinary problems, and drive technology from development through qualification or production.
• Experience leading technical initiatives, influencing engineering decisions, and mentoring engineers.
• Excellent technical communication, collaboration, documentation, and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience developing integrated laser platforms for quantum, sensing, communications, or other high-performance applications.
• Experience working with semiconductor foundries, epitaxial suppliers, and packaging partners to transition technologies into production.
• Experience supporting strategic customers, external partnerships, proposals, or government-funded R&D programs.

The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.