Product Manager, Photonic Design and Simulation
SynopsysJob Title
Product Manager, Photonic Design and Simulation
Role Summary
Lead product strategy and roadmap for Synopsys photonic design and simulation tools (OptoCompiler, Lumerical, and related capabilities). Work with customers, R&D, applications, sales, and marketing to define requirements, prioritize work, and ensure delivered features solve real engineering workflow problems.
Experience Level
Mid-level product manager. Typical requirement: 5+ years product management experience in photonics, optics, simulation software, or closely related domains (or 3+ years with an advanced degree).
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include translating customer and market needs into product plans, driving cross-functional alignment, and supporting product launches.
- Define product strategy and roadmap priorities for photonic design and simulation tools.
- Convert customer and field feedback into clear product requirements and prioritized backlogs for engineering.
- Engage directly with customers to understand workflows, adoption blockers, and emerging use cases.
- Coordinate with R&D, applications engineering, sales, and marketing on delivery, positioning, and go-to-market activities.
- Drive cross-functional roadmap alignment, balancing customer impact, technical risk, and business value.
- Develop technical collateral, messaging, and training to enable field teams and customers.
- Monitor competitive and industry trends to identify opportunities and partnerships.
Requirements
Must-have skills and experience for successful performance in this role. Nice-to-have items are noted separately.
- Must-have: 5+ years product management experience in photonics, optics, simulation software, or closely related technical domains (3+ years with an advanced degree).
- Must-have: Deep understanding of photonic design workflows and simulation methods such as FDTD or EME.
- Must-have: Direct experience with photonic design and simulation products (OptoCompiler, Lumerical, or adjacent platforms).
- Must-have: Proven ability to work cross-functionally with engineering, field teams, and commercial stakeholders to deliver on roadmap and product outcomes.
- Must-have: Strong technical communication skills and ability to present roadmaps, trade-offs, and business cases.
- Must-have: Track record of influencing roadmap decisions through customer insight, competitive analysis, and structured thinking.
- Nice-to-have: Experience in EDA, photonic design automation, optical simulation markets, or adjacent engineering software markets.
Education Requirements
Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, optics, or a related technical field is preferred, or equivalent practical experience. Advanced degree shortens experience expectation (e.g., 3+ years product management with an advanced degree). No specific certifications required; equivalent practical experience is acceptable.
About the Company
Company: Synopsys
Headquarters: Mountain View, California, USA
Synopsys is a leading company in electronic design automation (EDA) and semiconductor IP solutions. It provides tools and services for designing and verifying complex semiconductor devices and systems. The company plays a pivotal role in the semiconductor industry, helping engineers innovate and deliver higher-quality products faster. Synopsys is committed to advancing technology standards and offers a range of software and hardware solutions to its clients globally.
