Photonics Layout Engineer

Job Title

Photonics Layout Engineer

Role Summary

Design and deliver photonic integrated circuit (PIC) layouts from floorplanning through tapeout, focusing on dense waveguide routing, multilayer optical interconnects, and manufacturability. The role partners closely with photonic designers, packaging engineers, and foundry contacts in a hands-on engineering team based in New York.

Experience Level

Entry-level / Early career - expects approximately 2+ years of relevant PIC layout experience.

Responsibilities

Take ownership of PIC layout tasks across component, chip, and reticle levels and build automation to scale layout work.

• Develop manufacturable GDSII layouts for photonic ICs, from component test structures to large-scale PICs.
• Translate photonic schematics and requirements into efficient floorplans and layouts.
• Implement dense waveguide routing and multilayer optical interconnects.
• Create and maintain parameterized photonic component cells (PCells) and reusable layout libraries.
• Write Python scripts and tools for layout generation, routing, and design verification.
• Integrate photonic and electrical layouts including pads and packaging interfaces.
• Perform physical verification and debug DRC, LVS, and optical connectivity issues.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams and foundry partners to support tapeout submissions.

Requirements

Core technical skills and experience required for day-one productivity.

• 2+ years working on photonic integrated circuit layout, preferably in silicon photonics.
• Proficiency with photonic layout tools such as GDSFactory, IPKISS, KLayout, or equivalents.
• Strong Python scripting experience for layout automation and parameterized designs.
• Experience with waveguide routing, component placement, and chip-level layout integration.
• Familiarity with foundry PDKs, design rules, and tapeout processes for silicon photonics.
• Attention to detail, strong problem-solving skills, and ability to work in a multidisciplinary team.

Nice-to-have:

• Experience with large-scale PIC layouts, optical switching networks, or complex routing architectures.
• Familiarity with multilayer silicon/silicon-nitride platforms and interlayer optical transitions.
• Experience developing automated routing or placement-optimization algorithms.
• Experience with Cadence Virtuoso, SKILL, or photonic-electronic co-layout workflows and EDA integration.

Education Requirements

B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related technical field.

About the Company

Company: Voyant Photonics

Headquarters: New York, NY, USA

New York City–based company developing compact silicon photonic LiDAR sensors that measure range, velocity, and reflectivity with high accuracy. Uses fingertip-scale silicon photonic chips to produce affordable, high-performance sensors for robotics, autonomous vehicles, drones, industrial automation, and other sensing applications.