Photonics PDK Development Engineer

Job Title

Photonics PDK Development Engineer

Role Summary

Develop production-ready Silicon Photonics PDKs, verification flows, PCells, and automation infrastructure to enable internal product development and foundry enablement. Work with multidisciplinary teams to deliver EPDA tools, CI/CD validation, and cloud-based design environments that improve design quality and engineering productivity.

This role is part of Intel's Integrated Photonics Solutions (IPS) organization and is eligible for a hybrid work model in Bangalore, India.

Experience Level

Mid-level - the role expects experienced engineers. Minimum qualifications specify 6+ years of relevant experience; this aligns with mid-career responsibilities and technical leadership duties.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include PDK development, verification, automation, and cross-team enablement:

• Develop, validate, and maintain production-ready Silicon Photonics PDKs and associated design enablement artifacts.
• Define and implement EPDA tools, flows, and methods for PIC design and manufacturing.
• Develop and support physical verification methodologies (DRC, LVS, ERC, reliability checks) and signoff flows using Calibre, ICV, and Cadence PV solutions.
• Design, implement, and maintain PCells, layout automation, and reusable IP to improve PDK quality and designer productivity.
• Apply AI/automation to accelerate validation, workflows, and engineering productivity.
• Build and maintain CI/CD pipelines for automated validation, testing, packaging, and release of PDKs and tools.
• Maintain design enablement infrastructure including cloud compute, EDA tool integrations, storage, licensing, and productivity platforms.
• Partner with design, process, manufacturing, and foundry teams to gather requirements and deliver robust solutions.
• Contribute to technical leadership, mentoring, and continuous improvement across PDK, verification, and automation domains.

Requirements

Must-have technical skills and experience (education details are summarized in the Education Requirements section below):

• 6+ years of hands-on experience in EDA/EPDA, PDK development, design enablement, CAD software development, or physical verification.
• Experience with custom analog, mixed-signal, and/or Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) design flows and the design-to-tapeout lifecycle.
• Practical experience with physical verification platforms: Siemens Calibre, Synopsys ICV, and Cadence PVS/Pegasus.
• Strong proficiency in Cadence Virtuoso environments, SKILL programming, and PCell development.
• Strong programming and scripting skills (Python, shell environments such as bash/tcsh, Tcl or equivalent).
• Experience with Unix/Linux environments, version control, software development practices, and automation frameworks.
• Familiarity with DRC, LVS, ERC, parasitic extraction, verification methodologies, and automated validation flows.
• Experience building CI/CD pipelines, automated regression frameworks, and release automation for PDKs or EDA tools.
• Strong problem-solving, debugging, and collaboration skills in multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Education Requirements

Minimum: Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or Photonics (minimum stated + 6 years relevant experience). Preferred: Master's degree (with ~4+ years relevant experience) or Ph.D. (with ~2+ years relevant experience) in EDA, EPDA, Silicon Photonics, PDK development, Physical Verification, or related technical fields. Degrees in equivalent technical disciplines or commensurate practical experience are commonly accepted where specified.

About the Company

Company: Intel Corporation

Headquarters: Santa Clara, California, USA

Intel Corporation is a leading multinational technology company known for its innovative semiconductor solutions, including microprocessors, artificial intelligence accelerators, and memory products. Headquartered in the United States, Intel focuses on cutting-edge technology and a collaborative working environment, driving advancements in semiconductor manufacturing to meet global demands. The company emphasizes professional development and aims to shape the future of technology through groundbreaking designs.