Photonics Field Applications Engineer (FAE)

OpenLight Photonics•Santa Clara, CA

3d•$140,000 - $240,000•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated and customer-focused Photonics Field Applications Engineer to support leading-edge optical technologies for AI infrastructure, hyperscale datacenters, high-speed networking, and LiDAR applications. The ideal candidate combines deep technical expertise in photonics, optics, and networking with exceptional interpersonal skills to engage customers, identify opportunities, solve complex technical challenges, and accelerate product adoption. This role serves as the primary technical interface between customers, sales teams, product management, and engineering, helping drive successful deployment of next-generation photonic solutions for 800G, 1.6T, 3.2T, and emerging optical networking platforms.

Requirements

5+ years in Field Applications Engineering, Systems Engineering, Optical Networking, Silicon Photonics, or Optical Module Development
Experience supporting hyperscalers, cloud service providers, AI infrastructure companies, networking OEMs, or LiDAR and sensing customers
Familiarity with leading AI networking ecosystems and optical interconnect architectures
Experience selling into key target markets with a track record of technical influence
Ability and willingness to travel internationally
Flexibility to work across global time zones
Excellent soft skills with a demonstrated ability to build trusted engineering-level relationships
Ability to travel up to 30-50% domestically and internationally
Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related technical discipline

Nice To Haves

Existing customer contacts at strategic growth targets preferred

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary technical liaison for strategic customers and partners
Deliver technical presentations, product demonstrations, and solution training
Understand customer architectures, requirements, and roadmaps to align solutions with business objectives
Build trusted relationships with engineering, operations, procurement, and executive stakeholders
Provide on-site and remote technical support throughout evaluation, design-in, qualification, and production phases
Support customer integration of photonic and optical networking products
Assist customers with high-speed optical interconnects, silicon photonics solutions, optical engines and transceivers, fiber-optic assemblies, AI cluster networking architectures, and LiDAR sensing systems
Troubleshoot optical, electrical, and system-level performance issues
Act as the voice of the customer within engineering and product teams.
Translate field requirements into product enhancements and roadmap recommendations.
Influence future product development based on customer feedback and market needs
Collaborate with R&D teams on technology demonstrations, proof-of-concepts, and customer evaluations
Support sales and account teams during customer engagements
Participate in technical proposal development, RFQs, and RFP responses
Identify expansion opportunities and drive technical wins
Represent the company at industry conferences, customer meetings, webinars, and trade shows