Photonics Test Development Engineer

Photonics Test Development Engineer

Boulder, Colorado, United States (On-site)

On-site | Boulder, CO

$140K–$180K base + equity

I’m working with a well-funded deep-tech startup developing a new integrated-photonics platform for advanced computing applications.

They are hiring a Photonics Test Development Engineer to build and own the company’s optical and electro-optical characterization capability.

This is not a generic optics or validation position. You’ll personally develop the fiber-coupled test stations, automation and data infrastructure needed to characterize photonic integrated circuits and improve subsequent device generations.

You’ll work on problems such as:

• Building automated fiber-coupled PIC characterization stations
• Developing repeatable fiber-to-chip alignment methods
• Automating positioning stages and laboratory instruments
• Writing Python software for control, acquisition and analysis
• Characterizing passive and active integrated photonic devices
• Measuring loss, coupling efficiency, bandwidth and polarization response
• Improving calibration, repeatability and test throughput
• Diagnosing optical, electrical and alignment-related problems
• Developing test methods for new device operating environments
• Feeding characterization results back into design and fabrication.

Looking for engineers who have:

• Personally built or substantially developed PIC test stations
• Hands-on fiber-to-chip coupling and optical-alignment experience
• Automated motion stages and laboratory instruments
• Written Python code for test control, data acquisition and analysis
• Characterized devices at die, wafer or packaged-device level
• Worked across optical and electrical measurements
• Diagnosed measurement stability and repeatability problems
• Taken ownership of test infrastructure rather than only operating established equipment/

This is an opportunity to build a critical engineering capability from the ground up and own the test feedback loop connecting photonic design, fabrication and system development.

Worth a confidential chat?