Laser Module Technical Lead

Job Title

Laser Module Technical Lead

Role Summary

Lead the system architecture, integration, and technical delivery of laser modules for high-speed optical communications. Own end-to-end module performance and coordinate cross-functional engineering and external suppliers to deliver reliable, manufacturable products from concept through production.

Experience Level

Senior / Principal — Principal level: 12–15+ years of relevant experience in laser modules, photonics, or related system-level engineering.

Responsibilities

Accountable for module-level architecture, integration, and performance across optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical domains.

• Define module-level requirements, interface specifications, and performance budgets.
• Allocate optical, electrical, thermal, and mechanical performance targets across subsystem owners.
• Lead integration of semiconductor lasers, SOAs, silicon photonic PICs, isolators/filters, fiber interfaces, driver electronics, firmware, and packaging.
• Define and execute characterization plans for power, wavelength, linewidth, SMSR, RIN, polarization, coupling efficiency, and thermal performance.
• Lead system-level debugging and root-cause analysis of optical, electrical, and thermal issues.
• Drive design tradeoffs to balance performance, manufacturability, reliability, and cost.
• Collaborate with external suppliers on component specifications, qualification, and manufacturing readiness.
• Support product qualification, reliability testing, and transfer to volume manufacturing.

Requirements

Must-have skills and experience focused on laser module design, integration, and product delivery. Education items are listed separately below.

• Deep understanding of semiconductor lasers and module-level integration.
• Experience integrating lasers with silicon photonic PICs and related fiber coupling/alignment techniques.
• Strong knowledge of optical packaging, fiber coupling, alignment, and assembly processes.
• Experience with laser control electronics, TEC control, and monitoring photodiodes.
• Familiarity with optical communication systems and module-level performance metrics.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional engineering teams through product development and production transfer.
• Experience defining interface specifications, performance budgets, characterization plans, and conducting root-cause analysis.

Nice-to-have:

• External-cavity and narrow-linewidth laser experience.
• High-speed optical transmit engines and 400G/800G/1.6T module experience.
• Co-packaged optics experience.
• Passive and active optical alignment techniques and automated production test development.
• Reliability qualification and failure analysis experience.

Education Requirements

MS or PhD in Photonics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field (explicitly specified in the posting).

About the Company

Company: Xscape Photonics

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, United States

Developer of integrated photonics solutions and instrumentation, specializing in photonic circuits, control systems, and test methodologies for optical communication and sensing applications. Works on device integration, control algorithms, and validation of photonic hardware and firmware.