Sr. Engineer, Optical Validation

Ayar Labs • San Jose, CA

8h • $170,000 - $192,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Ayar Labs is shattering AI data bottlenecks by moving data at the speed of light. As pioneers of co-packaged optics (CPO), we are using light instead of electricity to move data faster, further, and with a fraction of the energy needed to fuel the explosive growth of AI models. Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world's leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs' co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures. Ayar Labs is seeking a hands-on Optical Validation Engineer to join our Optical Packaging team in San Jose. You will develop precision optical measurement methods to characterize fiber-to-chip interfaces, quantify alignment tolerances, and validate coupling performance. This role combines free-space optics, component metrology, and optical modeling. You will correlate laboratory measurements with model predictions to isolate sources of excess loss and performance variation. Collaborating with internal engineering teams and optical suppliers, you will guide component and assembly improvements.

Requirements

• BS in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering and 2+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Experience independently developing optical characterization methods for components or packaged devices.
• Strong understanding of Gaussian beam optics, fiber modes, free-space propagation, and fiber-to-chip coupling.
• Hands-on experience in experimental free-space optics.
• Proficiency in Zemax, Code V, or equivalent optical modeling tools for coupling and tolerance analysis.
• Experience designing experiments and analyzing optical data to identify physical root causes.
• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly and collaborate across engineering disciplines and with suppliers.

Nice To Haves

• Master's or PhD
• Experience building, aligning, and maintaining free-space optical setups.
• Experience with fiber-array units, micro-lenses, detachable connectors, or silicon photonic coupling interfaces.
• Experience correlating component measurements with wafer-level or package-level optical performance.
• Familiarity with optical calibration standards and correlating measurements across laboratories or suppliers.
• Programming experience for measurement analysis or laboratory automation.
• Optomechanical design experience for characterization fixtures.

Responsibilities

• Develop optical characterization setups for fiber arrays, connectors, and micro-optical components.
• Characterize optical components and interfaces to assess performance against design requirements.
• Model optical propagation and coupling to quantify sensitivity to geometry, alignment, and component variation.
• Correlate component, wafer, and package measurements with optical models to identify the physical causes of excess loss.
• Define test structures and measurement requirements for new optical interfaces with photonics and packaging teams.
• Communicate findings and recommend component or assembly changes to internal teams and suppliers.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior