Director of Optics

Neurophos • Austin, TX

56d • Onsite

About The Position

At Neurophos, listed as one of EE Times’ 2025 100 Most Promising Start-ups, we are revolutionizing AI computation with the world’s first metamaterial-based optical computing platform. Our design addresses the traditional shortcoming of silicon photonics for inference and provides an unprecedented AI engine with substantially higher throughput and efficiency than any existing solution.
We've created an optical metasurface with 10,000x the density of traditional silicon photonics modulators. This enables a solution with 100x gains in power efficiency for neural network computing without sacrificing throughput; we've made improvements there, too. By integrating metamaterials with conventional optoelectronics, our compute-in-memory optical system surpasses existing solutions by a wide margin and enables truly high-performance and cost-effective AI compute.
Join us to shape the future of optical computing.
Location: Austin, TX. Full-time onsite position.
Position Overview:
Neurophos is seeking a visionary Director of Optics to lead the strategic direction and architectural development of our Optical Processing Unit (OPU) for Neuromorphic AI compute. As a key member of the leadership team, you will be responsible for setting the optics technology roadmap and defining the architectures that will power the future of photonic AI hardware.
This role requires a rare blend of deep technical expertise in coherent light simulation and a proven track record of successfully deploying advanced optical modules into high-volume production. You will lead an elite team of engineers to translate groundbreaking research into robust, market-ready products.

Requirements

• PhD or Master’s degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• 15+ years of industry experience in the design and development of high-performance free-space optical systems, with at least 5 years in a technical leadership or management capacity.
• Demonstrated success in deploying complex optical modules into production, specifically within the consumer electronics, telecommunications, or high-performance computing sectors.
• Expert-level knowledge of coherent light systems, Gaussian beam propagation, and ABCD matrix analysis.
• Hands-on proficiency with industry-standard tools such as Zemax, CODE V, or LightTools, as well as scripting in MATLAB or Python for system validation.
• Deep understanding of active alignment strategies for high-precision assemblies.
• Expertise in Monte Carlo simulations, tolerance analyses, and stray-light modeling to ensure reliability in real-world scenarios.
• Exceptional ability to communicate complex optical concepts to both technical stakeholders and non-technical executive leadership.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with neuromorphic computing or advanced AI hardware architectures.
• Knowledge of metamaterials or non-traditional optoelectronic integration.
• Familiarity with multi-aperture architectures or beam-steering systems.

Responsibilities

• Strategic Leadership: Define and execute the long-term optics strategy and technology roadmap to maintain Neurophos’ competitive edge in AI acceleration.
• Architectural Development: Lead the design and definition of complex optical architectures for our Optical Processing Unit, ensuring seamless integration with metamaterials and silicon photonics.
• Technical Oversight: Supervise the modeling and simulation of coherent beam propagation using Gaussian beam optics, physical optics, and generalized beam matrix methods.
• Production & Scalability: Drive the transition of optical designs from concept to high-volume manufacturing, ensuring all architectures adhere to rigorous Design for Manufacturability (DFM) principles.
• Precision Engineering: Oversee the development of advanced active alignment and calibration techniques to ensure optimal performance and minimal crosstalk in free-space optical sub-assemblies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with the CTO and leads in Silicon Photonics, Electrical Engineering, and Software to deliver a unified hardware-software AI platform.
• Vendor & Ecosystem Management: Manage strategic relationships with external suppliers and manufacturing partners to validate components and secure the supply chain.

Benefits

• A pivotal role in an innovative startup redefining the future of AI hardware.
• A collaborative and intellectually stimulating work environment.
• Competitive compensation, including salary and equity options.
• Opportunities for career growth and future team leadership.
• Access to cutting-edge technology and state-of-the-art facilities.
• Opportunity to publish research and contribute to the field of efficient AI inference.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree