Photonics Applications Engineer

Texas Instruments•Santa Clara, CA

About The Position

Texas Instruments is seeking a highly motivated, experienced Senior Applications Engineer for its Optical Signal Chain and Controllers team. The role supports next-generation optical and electrical ICs, silicon-photonics-based optical sub-assemblies, and optical engines for high-speed data communications. The engineer connects product design with customer experience by resolving technical challenges, integrating devices into customer systems, and translating feedback into design improvements. The position involves architecting, assembling, and bringing up high-speed (>50 GHz) bench test setups, and developing accurate, high-throughput measurement procedures and reporting. The engineer may supervise and mentor junior applications engineers, coordinate application and validation work across global sites, and support products throughout definition, characterization, ramp, and post-ramp customer support.

Requirements

At least 5 years of industry experience in datacenter transceivers and high-speed electrical and optical interfaces, including at least 50 Gbps/lane PAM4.
Hands-on experience developing and bringing up bench setups; testing at die and package level; small- and large-signal testing; and high-throughput test automation.
Experience designing and bringing up multipurpose high-speed opto-electrical test stations.
Expertise with high-speed (>50 GHz) test equipment, including Lightwave Component Analyzers (LCA), DCAs, AWGs, and real-time oscilloscopes.
Ability to develop and optimize robust bench-test automation scripts and streamline measurement data logging and databasing.
Strong time-management skills and ability to multitask across multiple test setups in parallel.
Knowledge of single- and multi-channel optical fiber coupling schemes, including normal-incidence, edge coupling, and grating couplers; fiber alignment procedures; and high-speed electrical interfacing, including direct RF probing and high-speed connectors.
Demonstrated ability to lead test initiatives and coordinate junior engineering staff.
Experience summarizing and presenting complex test results to cross-functional teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong familiarity with industry-standard practices for high-volume, high-speed electrical and optical characterization.

Nice To Haves

Experience with 200 Gbps/lane interfaces.
Hands-on PCB and optical assembly experience tailored for test environments.
Proficiency in Python, Matlab, JMP, and Spotfire.

Responsibilities

Lead customer-facing interactions, answer customer and partner questions, and support design-in activities for new products.
Specify, assemble, and validate custom high-speed (>50 GHz) electrical, electro-optical, and optical-optical die-level test setups.
Identify, select, and procure test tools and equipment; work with equipment vendors to bring up and troubleshoot measurement systems.
Collaborate with design teams and product architects to develop test plans for die-, package-, and board-level characterization.
Build and maintain structured measurement-data databases; analyze and report findings using data visualization tools.
Direct, coordinate, and supervise daily testing efforts of junior applications engineers.
Coordinate application and validation efforts across multiple global sites.
Develop product definition, execute characterization through ramp, and provide post-ramp application support to customers.
Develop and optimize bench-test automation scripts to improve throughput and characterization coverage, repeatability, data logging, and databasing.
Present complex test results to cross-functional teams.