Photonic Architect (Temporary)
LightmatterJob Title
Photonic Architect (Temporary)
Role Summary
Temporary PhD-level role on the Passage transceiver product architecture team focused on photonic architecture for optical interconnects used in AI and HPC datacenters.
Work includes simulation, test collaboration, and analysis to ensure reliable high-throughput optical links in Lightmatter's Toronto office (flexible hybrid workplace model).
Experience Level
Level - Mid-Career. Role is targeted at PhD-level candidates; no explicit years-of-experience requirement stated.
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities center on modeling, simulation, and validation of end-to-end optical links and correlating results with hardware tests.
- Simulate end-to-end optical links, including fiber polarization, optical reflections, and thermal dynamics in silicon photonic structures.
- Analyze interactions between photonic effects and the performance of SerDes, drivers, and TIAs to maintain target error rates.
- Develop simulation models and run analyses using commercial and in-house tools to predict link behavior at increasing throughput and density.
- Collaborate with the test team to run remote tests on Lightmatter hardware (SerDes, high-speed analog, photonic chips).
- Define test plans, collect experimental data, and correlate measurements with simulation results.
- Produce clear technical reports and present findings to cross-functional teams.
Requirements
Core technical skills, tools experience, and workplace qualifications required for the role.
- Must-have: Experience with optical link simulation tools such as VPIphotonics, MATLAB, Cadence Virtuoso, or Keysight ADS.
- Must-have: Proficiency in Python for simulation, data processing, and analysis.
- Must-have: Experience with data collection and analysis and correlating measurements to models.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills for documentation and cross-team collaboration.
- Motivation to learn commercial applications of silicon photonics and optical communications.
- Nice-to-have: Prior hands-on experience with SerDes, high-speed analog circuits, or photonic test setups.
- Ability to work remotely with test hardware and to develop and execute test plans.
- Compliance capacity with U.S. export control laws as required by company policy.
Education Requirements
Pursuing or holding a PhD in Photonics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field with specialization in optical communications. Relevant coursework cited includes electromagnetics (wave propagation, guided waves), semiconductor devices and physics, optics, scientific computing and numerical methods, signals and systems, statistics, thermal physics, and analog electronics.
About the Company
Company: Lightmatter
Headquarters: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Lightmatter develops photonic AI data-center infrastructure and optical chips for extreme-scale AI and HPC. The company invented the Passage 3D‑stacked photonics engine to provide high-bandwidth, low-latency interconnects across large-scale processors and raised $400M in Series D financing at a reported $4.4B valuation.
