{"id":123540,"url":"https://alion.io/job/lightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer","title":"Staff/Sr Staff Electro-Optic Link Codesign Engineer","company":{"id":16141,"name":"Lightmatter","domain":"lightmatter.co","url":"https://alion.io/company/lightmatter-co","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Greenhouse","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":83,"open_postings":58,"ghost_share":0.276,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":44,"computed_at":"2026-10-25T05:49:26Z"}},"role":"Hardware","role_family":"Hardware","seniority":"staff","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"hybrid","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Boston, United States","Toronto, Canada","Mountain View, United States"],"countries":["US","CA"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":180000,"max":260000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":260000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[{"name":"Cadence Virtuoso","optional":false},{"name":"HPC","optional":false},{"name":"Keysight ADS","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false},{"name":"Verilog","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-08-25T16:20:09Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-03","last_verified_at":"2026-10-25T15:26:27Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":60,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":0,"flags":["company_stale"],"days_open":60},"description":"Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.\nLightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!\nIf you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.\nLightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!\nWe are seeking a Sr. Staff Engineer, Photonic Link Co-Design to join our Laser Systems Architecture & Engineering team. This is one of the most technically demanding roles at Lightmatter: you will own the end-to-end simulation, co-design, and laboratory verification of photonic-electronic links in Passage™ - from photonic device modeling through to full transceiver channel characterization in silicon.\nYou will build and maintain the high-fidelity simulation infrastructure that links optical device performance to system-level BER and link margin, drive co-design between photonic and analog circuit teams, and close the loop between simulation and lab measurement on every tape-out. This role sits at the center of how Lightmatter ensures Passage links meet performance at every process corner - and is the technical anchor for photonic-electronic integration quality.\nThe right candidate is equally fluent in photonic simulation environments and at a high-speed electro-optic lab bench, and has the seniority to drive architecture decisions with data.\nResponsibilities\nDevelop, own, and continuously improve electro-optic link simulation models covering photonic device, propagation, and channel BER - from electron to photon to electron.\nBuild multi-physics models that combine optical propagation (VPI Photonics, Lumerical INTERCONNECT / FDTD, sax), analog circuit behavior (Cadence Virtuoso / Spectre, Verilog-A)) into a coherent link analysis framework.\nExecute comprehensive corner analysis, Monte Carlo variation sweeps, and process-voltage-temperature (PVT) studies to bound link margin; generate actionable specification tightening recommendations for device and circuit teams.\nWork closely with analog circuit designers to co-optimize transmitter driver and receiver front-end for the photonic device interface; drive joint simulation across the optical-electrical boundary.\nContribute to photonic link budgets end-to-end: optical power, modulation efficiency, receiver sensitivity, noise floor, and SNR/OSNR margins.\nContribute to simulation-to-silicon closure methodology for Passage optical links; author test protocols, define measurement sequences, and iterate link models against measured data across process splits and device corners.\nIdentify and diagnose root causes of link performance gaps - distinguishing photonic, electrical, and integration origins - and drive corrective design actions.\nAuthor and review photonic link architectural specifications, co-design interface requirements, and design-entry criteria for photonic and circuit teams.\nContribute to Passage product-level link planning: propose photonic and electronic co-design opportunities to improve link margin, power efficiency, or yield.\nRequirements:\nPhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Physics, or a closely related photonics/optics discipline and 5+ years of experience; or MS + 8 years of directly relevant industry experience at a photonic IC, transceiver, or optical interconnect company.\nDeep expertise in photonic device physics and system-level optical link design: silicon photonic modulators, Ge photodetectors, passive WDM components, optical amplifiers, and coherent or intensity-modulated link topologies.\nHands-on proficiency with photonic simulation: VPI Photonics, Lumerical FDTD / INTERCONNECT, or equivalent optical propagation and circuit co-simulation tools.\nExperience with analog and mixed-signal simulation: Cadence Virtuoso / Spectre, Verilog-A behavioral modeling, or Keysight ADS for electrical-optical co-simulation.\nDemonstrated experience developing and executing optical link budgets, corner analyses, and simulation-to-measurement closure workflows.\nDemonstrated high-speed lab skills: vector network analyzers (VNA) / S-parameter characterization, optical spectrum analyzers, high-bandwidth real-time oscilloscopes, BER test sets, optical modulation analyzers (OMA), and optical power meters.\nProficiency in Python for simulation scripting, measurement automation, and statistical post-processing.\nExcellent written and verbal communication; able to drive architecture and specification discussions with device and circuit teams.\nFamiliarity with SERDES architecture: equalization topologies (FFE, DFE, CTLE), CDR, and mixed-signal PHY co-design for high-speed interfaces.\nPreferred Qualifications\nSilicon photonics tape-out and post-silicon characterization experience; familiarity with PDK-level device models and extracted simulation vs. measurement correlation.\nExposure to co-packaged optics (CPO), near-package optics (NPO), or optical I/O chiplet integration challenges.\nSignal processing knowledge: DSP for optical communications, forward error correction (FEC), or PAM-4 / NRZ / coherent modulation format trade-offs and simulation.\nExperience with Monte Carlo and statistical design methodologies in the context of photonic-electronic system co-design.\nWe offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.\nSalary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.\n$180,000—$260,000 USD\nBenefits\nComprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)\nRetirement Savings Matching Program\nLife Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)\nGenerous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)\nPaid Family Leave\nShort Term & Long Term Disability\nTraining & Development\nCommuter Benefits\nFlexible, hybrid workplace model\nEquity grants (applicable to full-time employees)\nBenefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.\nExport Control\nCandidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.","description_format":"text","description_chars":6886,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity","Life insurance","Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["AI Chips & Accelerators","Optics & Photonic Components"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-08-25T16:20:09Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 27 · green card filings: 1","filings_12m":27,"filings_prev_12m":14,"green_card_filings_12m":1,"median_offered_wage_usd":177679,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T11:24:14+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":7}],"liveness":{"score":42,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.771,"p_room":0.55,"age_days":60,"expected_fill_days":44,"reasons":["conf:1","velocity","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-25T05:49:26Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":260000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/lightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/lightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-25T16:03:34Z","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":23107,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-26T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"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":16141},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=16141"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Flightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"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%2Flightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"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%2Flightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-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/lightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Flightmatter-staffsr-staff-electro-optic-codesign-engineer"}]}