{"id":331115,"url":"https://alion.io/job/coherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer","title":"Sr. Principal Photonics engineer","company":{"id":58506,"name":"Coherent","domain":"coherent.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/coherent-com","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Oracle","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":84,"open_postings":58,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.828,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":4,"computed_at":"2026-11-09T06:03:00Z"}},"role":"Semiconductors","role_family":"Semiconductors","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Santa Clara, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":160000,"max_usd":291000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":33},"experience_years_min":15,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"HPC","optional":false},{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-07-27T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-07-27","last_verified_at":"2026-11-08T20:08:14Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":105,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":104},"description":"Primary Duties & Responsibilities\nThe themes below are examples of early focus areas. They may evolve with CTO Office priorities and future Coherent needs.\nAdvanced light sources for silicon photonics: evaluate source architectures such as quantum-dot DFB lasers, PIC-enhanced approaches, and comb-based sources against power, wavelength control, integration, reliability, packaging, manufacturability, and platform fit.\nHeterogeneous integration for active silicon photonics: explore integration approaches for lasers, amplifiers, pumps, modulators, and related active building blocks, with attention to process compatibility, yield, thermal behavior, reliability, and scalability.\nEnergy-efficient optical I/O: develop architecture options for high-density, short-reach optical links relevant to memory-adjacent, scale-up, and disaggregated-compute use cases; compare parallel-emitter arrays, silicon photonics, and emerging emitter / receiver concepts using link-level and packaging-level metrics.\nDetector and receiver-side integration: assess photodiode-array and receiver-side technologies, including SiGe PD array options, link budgets, bandwidth, pitch, integration constraints, and packaging scalability.\nSimulation and analysis workflows: develop modeling methods that connect device-level behavior with link, thermal, packaging, and system-level trade-offs to guide feasibility decisions and architecture choices.\nQuantum, quantum dots, and emerging photonics: assess selected advanced photonics and quantum-adjacent technologies that may create future opportunities in communications, sensing, or integrated photonics platforms.\nInternal alignment and transition: work with internal experts and business groups to translate early technical findings into project proposals, proof points, and possible transition paths.\nKey Responsibilities\nAdvanced Technical Assessment and Incubation\nShape early-stage concepts, feasibility objectives, risk-reduction plans, and prototype approaches for priority CTO Office topics.\nLead technical evaluations, modeling, design reviews, and trade-off studies with internal or external contributors.\nDevelop technical recommendations on performance, manufacturability, integration path, scalability, reliability, and transition readiness.\nRoadmap Input and Technology Direction\nContribute technical input to roadmap discussions in optical interconnect, CPO / optical I/O, AI/HPC infrastructure, silicon photonics, advanced light sources, detector technologies, and related photonics platforms.\nTranslate emerging technology options into clear milestones, risks, decision points, and recommended next steps.\nConnect future system needs, internal capabilities, external opportunities, and business-group priorities into actionable technical options.\nExternal Innovation and Partner Assessment\nBuild a practical view of relevant startups, universities, research institutes, suppliers, and technology partners.\nEvaluate external opportunities for technical credibility, maturity, differentiation, IP position, integration path, timing, and strategic fit.\nDevelop technology input for build / partner / buy discussions and potential collaboration opportunities.\nCross-Functional Execution and Communication\nCollaborate with CTO Office colleagues, internal experts, business groups, and external partners to advance relevant opportunities from evaluation toward proof points.\nPrepare concise technical recommendations for senior technical, product, and business stakeholders.\nRepresent Coherent in relevant technical forums, partner meetings, university discussions, and ecosystem engagements when relevant.\nEducation & Experience\nAdvanced degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Photonics, or related field; Ph.D. preferred.\n15+ years of experience in photonics, optical communications, semiconductor lasers, optoelectronic devices, data-center optical interconnect, quantum photonics, or related advanced technology fields.\nDeep technical understanding of optical I/O, semiconductor photonics, III-V devices, silicon photonics, photodetectors, advanced light sources, and system-level optical-interconnect trade-offs.\nExperience translating ambiguous technical opportunities into architectures, project scope, feasibility plans, risks, milestones, and technical recommendations.\nExperience with modeling, simulation, data analysis, and technical decision support using tools such as Python, COMSOL, Lumerical, Matlab, or equivalent.\nExperience coordinating cross-functional R&D work across design, process, packaging, reliability, product, and business stakeholders.\nExperience with technology scouting, startup evaluation, partner assessment, roadmap input, or external innovation engagement.\nSkills\nDeep technical credibility with photonics, optical interconnect, device physics, and advanced-development teams.\nStrong system-level thinking across devices, process scalability, packaging, link architecture, and product relevance.\nAbility to define clear technical directions from complex trade-offs and incomplete information.\nEntrepreneurial mindset and ability to create practical project concepts before they are fully defined by customer pull.\nCollaborative leadership style and ability to influence across sites, business groups, and external partners.\nClear communication with senior technical, product, and business audiences.\nWorking Conditions\nHybrid role with collaboration across Coherent sites, CTO Office colleagues, and business groups.\nPeriodic travel to startups, universities, partners, and Coherent sites; US and Asia travel as needed.\nCombination of independent technical analysis, cross-functional collaboration, project leadership, and external ecosystem engagement.\nPhysical Requirements\nxxxx\nSafety Requirements\nAll employees are required to follow the site EHS procedures and Coherent Corp. Corporate EHS standards.\nQuality and Environmental Responsibilities\nDepending on location, this position may be responsible for the execution and maintenance of the ISO 9000, 9001, 14001 and/or other applicable standards that may apply to the relevant roles and responsibilities within the Quality Management System and Environmental Management System.\nCulture Commitment\nEnsure adherence to company’s values (ICARE) in all aspects of your position at Coherent Corp.:\nIntegrity - Create an Environment of Trust\nCollaboration - Innovate Through the Sharing of Ideas\nAccountability - Own the Process and the Outcome\nRespect - Recognize the Value in Everyone\nEnthusiasm - Find a Sense of Purpose in Work\nCoherent Corp. is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected Veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law.\nIf you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at .","description_format":"text","description_chars":7021,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":15,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Optical Communications","Lasers & Laser Systems","Optics & Photonic Components"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-05T17:26:38Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"adverts_offering_sponsorship_24m":0,"sanctioned_now":false,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 28 · green card filings: 4","filings_12m":28,"filings_prev_12m":23,"green_card_filings_12m":4,"median_offered_wage_usd":125313,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-11-08T10:45:15+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":6,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.197,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":105,"expected_fill_days":4,"reasons":["conf:9","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-09T06:03:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/coherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/coherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-09T06:28:55Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":2707,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-10T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58506},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58506"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fcoherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fcoherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fcoherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/coherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fcoherent-sr-principal-photonics-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":331115}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"coherent.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":331115},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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