Photonics Characterization Systems Engineer

Neurophos • Austin, TX

56d

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.
Position Overview:
We are seeking a Photonics Characterization Systems Engineer to play a vital role in advancing our state-of-the-art AI compute accelerators based on silicon photonics and free-space optics. This position focuses on developing experimental methodologies and conducting cutting-edge experiments to characterize and demonstrate the performance of our revolutionary photonic architecture, featuring custom spatial light modulators. You will work closely with a world-class team of theoreticians, physicists, optical engineers, and system engineers to design and execute experimental setups that validate system capabilities. If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of photonic technology and thrive in a collaborative, innovative environment, this is your opportunity to make a transformative impact.

Requirements

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, or a related field.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience setting up and aligning free-space optical systems.
• Proven expertise with high-speed optical compute or optical networking equipment and advanced lab instrumentation.
• Deep understanding of signal integrity principles and their application to photonic systems.
• Proficiency in statistical signal processing and data analysis for performance characterization.
• Demonstrated ability to produce and present technical reports to diverse audiences, including technical peers and executive stakeholders.
• Strong teamwork and communication skills, with a track record of thriving in collaborative, interdisciplinary environments.
• Experience working independently to solve complex experimental challenges.

Nice To Haves

• Background in silicon photonics, photonic computing, or optoelectronic characterization.
• Familiarity with spatial light modulators or other advanced photonic components.
• Experience with scripting (e.g., Python, MATLAB) for automation of experimental setups and data analysis.
• Knowledge of AI hardware architectures or neural network computing applications.
• Hands-on experience designing custom optical metrology or high-speed test systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop and refine experimental methodologies to characterize silicon photonics and free-space optical systems for AI compute acceleration.
• Design, set up, and perform fine alignment of free-space optical experiments, leveraging custom spatial light modulators to demonstrate groundbreaking AI compute functionality.
• Conduct performance characterization of high-speed photonic systems.
• Utilize advanced high-speed signaling lab equipment to measure and analyze system performance.
• Perform statistical signal processing and generate detailed technical reports to document experimental results and system capabilities.
• Present findings to both technical teams and executive leadership with clarity and precision.
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to integrate experimental insights into the broader system architecture and refine design iterations.
• Troubleshoot complex photonic setups and optimize experimental workflows for accuracy and repeatability.
• Partner with external vendors as needed to source specialized components or validate experimental results.

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.
• This is a rare opportunity to work on a game-changing technology at the intersection of photonics and AI. As part of our elite team, you’ll contribute to a platform that redefines computational performance and accelerates the future of artificial intelligence. Be a key player in bringing this transformative innovation to the world.

What This Job Offers

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