High-speed Photonic Experimentalist

Job Description

Job Title: High-speed Photonic Experimentalist. Location: Palo Alto, California, United States

Responsibilities:

• Own high-speed electro-optic characterization and validation of active photonic devices, circuits, and subsystems, including phase shifters, switches, modulators, and related components.
• Perform S-parameter measurements, high-speed time-domain waveform measurements, switching-response measurements, bandwidth measurements, insertion-loss measurements, extinction-ratio measurements, and related device and circuit-level testing;
• Work across wafer-level probing, connectorized photonic and electronic devices, packaged assemblies, and integrated builds containing photonic chips, PCBs, drivers, FPGAs, firmware, and related hardware.
• Translate device requirements, system requirements, and experimental learning objectives into executable characterization plans.
• Analyze and model measurement data to understand device, circuit, and subsystem behavior, identify performance limitations, and recommend improvements.
• Develop new characterization methods, automation tools, measurement workflows, and analysis processes;
• Collaborate with photonics, electronics, packaging, manufacturing, test, firmware, and system-validation teams to design, build, test, and improve high-performance photonic chips and assemblies.
• Document measurement methods, calibration procedures, results, and conclusions clearly and rigorously.
• Mentor junior team members.

Qualifications:

• MS or PhD in electrical engineering, applied physics, optical engineering, photonics, or a related technical discipline. Industry experience is a plus.
• Deep understanding of integrated photonic devices and circuits, including waveguides, electro-optic phase shifters, switches, modulators, and other active and passive photonic components.
• Hands-on experience with RF, microwave, and optical test equipment, including oscilloscopes, signal generators, VNAs, high-speed probes, optical power meters, lasers, photodetectors, and related laboratory equipment.
• Experience with high-speed electro-optic measurements, including electro-optic S-parameters, high-speed waveform measurements, bandwidth, and related device and circuit-level metrics;
• Strong understanding of RF measurement concepts, including S-parameters, impedance matching, bandwidth, signal integrity, calibration, de-embedding, and measurement uncertainty.
• Experience developing automated test systems, measurement scripts, data pipelines, or analysis tools for photonic, RF, or high-speed electro-optic characterization.
• Strong data-analysis skills, including visualization, statistical interpretation, and data-driven decision-making.
• Ability to convert device requirements and experimental objectives into test plans, execute measurements, analyze results, and communicate conclusions.
• Experience with active photonic material platforms such as thin-film lithium niobate, BTO, doped silicon, InP, GaAs, AlGaAs, InGaAsP, or related electro-optic platforms is a plus.
• Understanding of photonic-electronic interfaces and integrated architectures involving PCBs, RF interconnects, high-speed drivers, FPGAs, TIAs, firmware-controlled test systems, wirebonds, and related electronics is a plus.
• Experience with photonic packaging and assembly-level integration is a plus;
• Experience designing, simulating, or modeling photonic and electro-optic components using Ansys Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL Multiphysics, Meep, or similar tools is a plus.
• Experience with RF or high-speed electronic simulation tools such as HFSS, ADS, Cadence AWR, or SPICE-based tools is a plus.
• Familiarity with high-volume or manufacturing-oriented testing, including repeatability, reproducibility, calibration control, and measurement-process documentation, is a plus.
• Ability to work independently with limited direction while remaining aligned with project goals and cross-functional priorities.
• Strong collaboration skills in multidisciplinary engineering environments.
• Strong project planning and execution skills, including managing priorities, tracking progress, and delivering results on schedule.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong critical thinking, analytical, creative, and detail-oriented problem-solving skills.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced startup environment with evolving requirements and ambitious technical goals.

Benefits and Compensation:

• U.S. base pay range: $110,000 to $145,000 per year.
• Bay Area pay range: $152,000 to $175,000 per year.
• Full-time employees are eligible for equity and benefits.
• Actual compensation depends on qualifications, education, training, competencies, experience, location, and business needs.
• Base salary is only one component of total compensation and may change in the future.

Application Instructions:

• Submit a resume/CV and cover letter.
• The application asks whether visa sponsorship will be required.
• Candidates must confirm legal authorization to work in the country of application.
• Provide LinkedIn profile information.
• The cover letter must include the word "purple";
• PsiQuantum will only contact candidates through an official PsiQuantum email address.
• PsiQuantum will never request bank account information during the interview process.
• Suspicious activity should be reported to [email protected].
• PsiQuantum is not accepting unsolicited resumes from employment agencies.

Other Information:

• PsiQuantum is an equal opportunity employer.
• The application includes voluntary self-identification sections for gender, race and ethnicity, veteran status, and disability status.
• Voluntary demographic information is confidential and is not considered in hiring decisions;
• The disability questionnaire is associated with federal contractor reporting requirements.
• The stated application form indicates an estimated completion time of approximately five minutes.