Senior Photonics Design Engineer
Intel CorporationJob Title
Senior Photonics Design Engineer
Role Summary
Design and validate active photonic components (modulators, detectors, lasers, passive devices) for photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Work with cross-disciplinary engineering teams to ensure designs meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability targets for data center and AI optical links.
Member of Intel's Integrated Photonics Solutions team; role supports test-chip development, characterization, modeling, and technology roadmap activities.
Experience Level
Senior. Typical experience: 6+ years with a Bachelor's, 4+ years with a Master's, or 2+ years with a Ph.D. in photonic device design and simulation (see Education Requirements for details).
Responsibilities
Primary responsibilities include:
- Design, simulate, and optimize photonic components (modulators, passive devices, lasers, detectors) for PICs.
- Perform tolerance analysis to validate reliability and performance across operating conditions.
- Lead test-chip projects: design, layout, tapeout, testing, and validation.
- Analyze characterization data, identify performance gaps, and define optimization strategies.
- Develop and refine modeling methodologies and propose test approaches for component verification.
- Research emerging photonics technologies, define architectures, and contribute to IP development.
- Collaborate with electrical, packaging, and system teams to align component designs with system requirements.
Requirements
Must-have:
- Proficiency with optical and RF simulation/design tools such as Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, DEVICE, Interconnect), RSoft, or Tidy3D.
- Hands-on experience in photonic integrated circuit design from concept through high-volume manufacturing.
- Familiarity with photonic test methodologies and equipment (optical spectrum analyzers, tunable lasers, optical vector analyzers).
- Experience analyzing statistical photonic test data using tools like JMP or programming languages such as Python or MATLAB.
- Strong collaboration, problem-solving, and communication skills for cross-functional engineering work.
Nice-to-have:
- Experience with layout tools such as Cadence or KLayout for component design and PIC tapeouts.
- Experience with advanced passive/active components (ring modulators, Mach-Zehnder, EAMs/EMLs) and inverse-design methods.
- Knowledge of system-level link modeling, Monte Carlo analysis, optical coupling, and integration with electronic drivers, TIAs, and DSPs.
Education Requirements
Required: Bachelor's (BS) in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Science, or a related technical field with 6+ years relevant experience; or a Master's (MS) with 4+ years; or a Ph.D. with 2+ years in photonic device design and simulation. No specific certifications are listed. Equivalent combinations of education and applicable experience are accepted as described above.
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.
