Sr. Principal Engineer, Photonics Solutions

Job Title

Sr. Principal Engineer, Photonics Solutions

Role Summary

Lead product architecture and system-level design for silicon photonics connectivity solutions, focusing on Optical Computer Interconnect (OCI) and Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) die-stack solutions for AI infrastructure.

Work cross-functionally to define technical roadmaps, integrate photonic and electronic subsystems, and drive products from concept to high-volume manufacturing.

Experience Level

Senior-level (principal). The role requires extensive industry experience; the posting specifies 8+ years in related fields and 10+ years in photonic system design in many areas.

Responsibilities

Own system-level photonics product architecture and lead cross-disciplinary execution for AI connectivity products.

• Define product and system architectures for OCI and CPO die-stack solutions targeting AI datacenter workloads.
• Drive technical roadmaps and strategic vision for next-generation photonic connectivity (e.g., 112Gbaud+ links, multi-wavelength systems).
• Coordinate integration across photonics, electronic interfaces, thermal management, packaging, test, and software co-design.
• Lead complex multi-disciplinary programs through delivery to high-volume manufacturing.
• Perform system-level modeling and performance optimization for high-bandwidth optical links.
• Communicate technical strategy and progress to senior leadership and external partners.

Requirements

Must-have technical experience and leadership capabilities; education details are summarized separately below.

• 8+ years of relevant industry experience in silicon photonics system architecture and integration (concept to HVM).
• Extensive experience (10+ years) designing and architecting photonic systems for high-performance computing or AI applications.
• Deep expertise in optical interconnect architecture and high-bandwidth link performance.
• Familiarity with AI/ML infrastructure requirements and compute interconnect scaling challenges.
• Proven program leadership directing senior engineering teams and cross-functional collaboration (AI hardware, process, test, packaging, applications).
• Strong communication skills for executive-level presentations and external engagement.
• Strategic problem-solving and ability to architect solutions for complex system-level challenges.
• Preferred: leadership of large/multi-site engineering organizations; experience with advanced packaging, industry standards (OIF, IEEE, OCP); foundry/fab and supply-chain familiarity; publications or customer-facing hyperscaler experience.
• Preferred exposure to advanced modulation formats, WDM, optical switching architectures, thermal management, co-design methodologies, and emerging photonic devices.

Education Requirements

PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, or a similar discipline is specified in the posting.

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.