Job Description

We are seeking an innovative and detail-oriented R&D Photonic Design Engineer to join our team, for the realization of photonic designs and circuits and the development of new optical components related to our integrated photonic technology.
In this role, you will be at the heart of our technology taping out new fabrication runs, and performing optical simulations of individual building blocks and full photonic integrated circuits. This role offers an opportunity to collaborate with cross-functional teams in the testing, development, and optimization of next-generation photonic solutions.
Tasks
Design and Layout:

• Lead the design and layout of photonic components and chips to meet customer specifications;
• Design and layout of optical components and circuits for tape out in semiconductor foundries including an adaption of designs to PDK requirements;
• Be a core member of a team developing a new photonics technology and bringing it to market;
• Implement layout best practice including Design Rule Checking (DRC), Design for Testing (DFT), and Design for Manufacturing (DFM);
• Validate new and existing designs by evaluating experimental data, including statistical analysis;
• Document technical work using the existing logging/storage infrastructure;
• Work in a dynamic team of engineers, researchers, technicians, and operators;

Collaboration and Support:

• Work closely with fabrication, testing and packaging teams to provide feedback for iterative improvements.
• Support product development cycles by defining tapeout plans and ensuring alignment with projects specifications.
• Contribute to the development of innovative components and layouts

Requirements
Education:

• Master's, or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optics, preferably with a focus in Photonics.

Experience

• Deep understanding of optoelectronics, integrated photonic circuits and their applications;
• Experience with the design and layout of devices, components and circuits for fabrication in commercial silicon photonic foundry platforms;
• Experience with leading the chip design of photonic products according to customer requirements;
• Experience with the design and layout of high-speed electro-optic modulators, switches, as well as electro-optic transmitters is a plus;

Technical Skills:

• Extensive experience with optical simulation tools (e.g. Lumerical, COMSOL, or similar) to design photonic components and circuits;
• Extensive experience with Python-based photonic layout tools (e.g. ipkiss, gdsfactory, or similar) with a strong emphasis on developing parametric cells (PCells) and writing modular, reusable code for scalable design workflows;
• Strong programming skills (e.g. python, C#) and experience with code versioning tools for collaborative software development;
• Proficiency in statistical data analysis and silicon photonics testing methodologies.

Soft Skills:

• Creative, motivated, critical thinking, and hands-on attitude with the drive to tackle hard challenges;
• Good organizational skills to plan and operate time-critical processes;
• Ability to learn quickly and adequately transfer that knowledge to others;
• Strong team working and good verbal and written communication skills.

Benefits
At Lumiphase, we offer a young, fast-growing, and dynamic working environment with broad options for personal development. We have world-class technical people who love to share their skills with new team members. People from all around the world have joined us, creating an open-minded and diverse team spirit. We are all dedicated to creating superior photonic products to solve hard problems in the field of communication as a big team effort.
We offer a variety of benefits to create a positive experience at work, and enable a healthy and enjoyable work-life balance.

• ZVV (Zurich region) annual transport pass and Halbtax
• 2 additional parental leave weeks,
• Flexible hours and hybrid work possibilities,
• On-site fitness room, canteen, and top quality espresso machine,
• and a lot of fun team events!

We look forward to welcoming talented, new members to our team.
Our recruitment process consists of three stages: * A 30 min. phone interview to discuss your general career motivations, and present our company and this role.

• A 1-1.5 hour phone interview with 1-2 members of the hiring team to deep dive into the core skills requirements.
• An on-site visit to interview with and meet many members of the team that you would be working in. This often includes lunch and gives you a strong sense of the company culture and individuals.

Then, both parties take their decisions! We aim to complete all steps in one month, but also allow for modifications to ensure both sides have a full picture of the skills and culture match to take the decision in an informed way.
We built our company culture from day one, step by step, with the direct contribution of all our employees. Our culture finds its foundation in two core values:

• "Run, Don't Rush" emphasizes the importance of maintaining a steady, purposeful pace to achieve excellence without compromising quality.
• "It's BTO: It's Better Together" highlights our commitment to teamwork and the belief that the only way to achieve our goals is by working in harmony and supporting each other.

At Lumiphase, we believe diversity strengthens our ability to achieve our mission. We are committed to fostering an inclusive environment where all individuals--regardless of race, ethnicity, gender, age, sexual orientation, physical ability, socio-economic background, or any other characteristic--feel valued, respected, and empowered.
Studies suggest that people from underrepresented groups, including women, often hesitate to apply unless they meet every listed qualification. If this role excites you but you're not sure you check every box, we'd still love to hear from you. You might be just the person we're looking for.
Lumiphase
Data traffic is exploding! At Lumiphase, we are on a mission to create the fastest and most energy-efficient communication chip the world has ever seen - to enable global IT infrastructure to handle this massive increase in data.
Our technology is built on innovative materials with incredible optical properties. The chips we build enable faster networks that consume less energy and will allow everyone to be better connected in the future.
We are a young and dynamic deep-tech startup, based in Zurich, Switzerland. Lumiphase was founded in 2020, after nearly 10 years of research within IBM. We are building a passionate team full of complementary areas of expertise, all dedicated to make this new generation of communication chips a reality on the market. We are growing rapidly, and we provide an agile environment for working at the forefront of cutting-edge technology to build products that will have a strong impact on our society.
Check out our open positions, and apply!

Skills Required