Photonics Engineer, Design Automation

Job Title

Photonics Engineer, Design Automation

Role Summary

Responsible for developing automated PDK (process design kit) infrastructures and software to support a new photonic sensor concept. The role partners with cross-functional design, layout, verification, and fabrication teams to integrate tools and workflows for photonic circuit simulation, stray-light analysis, verification, and tapeout.

This position contributes to product development by automating and validating design flows that enable scalable photonic sensor development.

Experience Level

Mid-level. No specific years-of-experience requirement stated.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include building, integrating, and validating automated tools and workflows for photonic design and verification:

• Design, develop, and maintain automated PDK infrastructures and supporting software.
• Integrate PDK tools across layout, verification, simulation, and tapeout workflows.
• Implement and validate circuit and photonics simulations, including stray-light analysis.
• Automate layout and verification flows to improve throughput, repeatability, and quality.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to define requirements and deploy tools into production workflows.
• Explore and prototype new strategies for PDK libraries, verification methodologies, and simulation approaches.

Requirements

Education items are summarized separately under "Education Requirements" below. The list below focuses on technical skills and practical experience.

• Must-have: Proficient in object-oriented programming (Python, MATLAB, Java, or similar).
• Must-have: Practical experience developing automated software infrastructures or scripts for design and verification flows.
• Nice-to-have: Experience with layout, verification, and circuit simulation tools and workflows.
• Nice-to-have: Experience in photonics modeling and simulation and stray-light analysis.
• Nice-to-have: Familiarity with semiconductor physics, fabrication processes, and tapeout flows.

Education Requirements

Bachelor's degree (B.Sc./BS) in Physics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, or equivalent technical field is required or equivalent practical experience. A master’s degree (M.Sc./MS) in Physics, Optics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field is preferred.

About the Company

Company: Apple

Headquarters: Cupertino, California, United States

Apple is a multinational technology company that designs, manufactures, and sells consumer electronics, software, and online services. Known for its innovative products such as the iPhone, Mac computers, and iPad, Apple emphasizes a strong commitment to high-quality design and user experience.