Senior Photonics Engineer

General Dynamics Mission Systems, Inc•Florham Park, NJ

2d•$175,332 - $184,920•Hybrid

About The Position

General Dynamics Mission Systems designs, prototypes, packages, and tests custom photonic integrated circuit (PIC) and photonic subsystem solutions for mission-critical defense and intelligence applications. We are seeking a Senior Photonics Engineer to lead photonic design execution across multiple programs and technology platforms. You will tackle a wide breadth of photonic and optoelectronic design challenges — from integrated photonic circuits to optical communication systems to more complex and advanced systems.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Applied Physics or other relevant field plus a minimum of 8 years of relevant experience OR Master's degree plus a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience OR PhD degree plus a minimum of 3 years of relevant experience
Experience with full-lifecycle PIC design: concept → modeling → tape-out → test
PIC layout tools (Luceda IPKISS, Photonforge, or equivalent)
Photonic simulation tools (Lumerical, Tidy3D, or equivalent)
Foundry tape-out experience at a commercial photonics foundry.
Experience on at least one major photonics platform: silicon, silicon nitride, lithium niobate
Working knowledge of core PIC building blocks: waveguides, couplers, ring resonators, AWGs, MZIs, modulators, photodetectors
PIC test and characterization — fiber-coupled and probe-based measurements
Technical leadership or mentorship of small engineering teams
Python or scripting for design automation or test
Ability to obtain a Department of Defense TS/SCI security clearance is required at time of hire.
Applicants selected will be subject to a U.S. Government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Due to the nature of work performed within our facilities, U.S. citizenship is required.

Nice To Haves

Post-fabrication packaging experience: fiber array attach, wirebond or flip-chip integration, optical alignment, or managing external packaging vendors
Multi-platform PIC experience across two or more of: silicon photonics, silicon nitride, III-V (InP), thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN)
Optical system-level design or systems engineering for communication or sensing systems
Familiarity with active photonic devices (lasers and amplifiers) and their integration into PIC-based systems
RF photonics or analog photonic link design
Nonlinear photonics (microresonator frequency combs, four-wave mixing, stimulated Brillouin scattering)
A track record of taking a PIC from concept through tape-out to packaged, tested hardware — the complete journey, not just simulation or layout
Multi-platform adaptability across different material systems and foundry processes
Experience specifying packaging requirements and managing external assembly vendors to deliver integrated photonic modules
Technical leadership on small design teams — defining approach, distributing work, and delivering as a team
Combined depth in PIC design and breadth in optical or RF system-level engineering — you design the chip and understand the system it lives in
Adjacent domain experience in free-space optical (FSO) communication systems, fiber-optic telecom systems, or RF systems.
Ability to think creatively, multi-task, and communicate with internal and external stakeholders
Identifies opportunities to apply AI for continuous improvement and innovation

Responsibilities

Lead the full PIC design cycle process: requirements analysis, component and circuit design, simulation, layout, foundry tape-out, post-fabrication test, and design iteration
Design PIC circuits and components using foundry PDKs and first-principles approaches as needed
Execute PIC layout using Luceda IPKISS or equivalent tools
Perform photonic simulation using Lumerical, Tidy3D, Photonforge, or equivalent tools
Manage tape-out with domestic foundries including design rule checks, foundry interface, and run coordination
Lead testing and characterization activities for fabricated PIC devices — optical and electrical measurements on bare die and packaged parts
Design PICs with packaging in mind — fiber coupling, electrical fanout (wirebond and flip-chip), thermal, and mechanical constraints
Contribute to optical system and link-level design and trade studies where programs extend beyond the chip level
Mentor junior engineers and team members
Contribute to IRAD projects and technology development
Participate in customer-facing technical discussions and design reviews
Contribute to technical and cost proposals