Senior Silicon Photonics Design Engineer (Remote)

Voyant Photonics•New York, NY

2d•$140,000 - $200,000•Onsite

About The Position

Voyant Photonics is seeking a Senior Silicon Photonics Design Engineer to develop silicon photonic components for optical circuit switching in AI data centers and chip-scale FMCW LiDAR sensing. The role covers component development from concept and simulation through layout, foundry tapeout, and characterization. The engineer will innovate on photonic device designs, influence product performance, and collaborate with a multidisciplinary team in a fast-paced startup environment. The position involves designing and optimizing passive and active silicon photonic components, carrying out electromagnetic and multiphysics simulations, creating layouts and test structures, coordinating foundry tapeouts, and analyzing optical characterization and wafer-level measurement data. The engineer will work with system-level PIC designers and foundry partners to translate system requirements and process capabilities into robust, manufacturable component designs. Voyant’s work is based in its Midtown Manhattan lab and office. The company describes the work as hands-on and primarily in person, with flexible scheduling rather than a rigid 9-to-5; some customer calls may take place early or late to accommodate different time zones. The company provides catered lunch at its headquarters every day and is committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Photonics, or a related field, or an M.S. with significant relevant industry experience.
Strong background in silicon photonic component design, including electromagnetic simulation and device optimization.
Demonstrated experience designing integrated photonic devices and bringing designs through silicon photonics foundry tapeouts.
Solid understanding of waveguide optics, photonic device physics, and semiconductor fabrication processes.
Proficiency with photonic simulation tools such as Ansys Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL, or equivalent.
Ability to analyze experimental characterization data and translate results into design improvements.
Strong problem-solving skills, technical independence, and ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary team.

Nice To Haves

Experience designing silicon photonic switches, phase shifters, or advanced passive components such as MMIs, mode converters, and polarization-handling devices.
Experience with silicon nitride waveguides, multilayer photonic integration, or heterogeneous photonic platforms.
Experience with photonic component design across different wavelength bands, particularly O-band and C-band.
Proficiency in Python or MATLAB for simulation automation, design optimization, and data analysis.
Experience with wafer-level characterization, fabrication variation analysis, or statistical device performance modeling.

Responsibilities

Design, simulate, and optimize passive and active silicon photonic components, including optical switches, waveguides, couplers, splitters, mode converters, and photodetectors.
Develop component designs that improve optical performance, including insertion loss, crosstalk, bandwidth, power consumption, and fabrication tolerance.
Perform electromagnetic and multiphysics simulations to optimize device geometries and operating conditions.
Develop component layouts and test structures, collaborating with layout engineers to implement and verify designs.
Drive component development through foundry tapeouts, including design reviews, verification, and coordination with manufacturing partners.
Analyze optical characterization data and wafer-level measurements to validate designs and guide improvements.
Collaborate with system-level PIC designers to translate system requirements into component specifications.
Work with foundry partners to understand process capabilities and develop robust, manufacturable designs.