High Speed Photodiode Design Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 19, 2026. First seen by Alion on Sep 25, 2026.
The Opportunity
OpenLight Photonics is looking for a highly motivated, experienced individual to drive the design, simulation, layout, and characterization of next-generation High-Speed Photodetectors. In this role, you will join a world-class team of engineers pioneering next generation photonic solutions spanning datacom, telecom, LiDAR, healthcare, high-performance computing, artificial intelligence, automotive and optical computing across next-generation communications and computing networks.
You will be responsible for defining, designing and optimizing device physics, high-frequency RF behavior, and optical performance of Germanium-on-Silicon (Ge-on-Si) and heterogeneous III-V/Silicon integrated photodetectors. You will interface closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams, customers and wafer manufacturing foundries, to take components from initial concept to high-volume production.
What You Will Do
Design, simulate, and optimize active photonic components, focusing specifically on high-bandwidth PIN, Avalanche Photodiode (APD), and wave-guided photodetector structures.
Utilize advanced optical simulation tools to model carrier transport dynamics, transit time limits, quantum efficiency, and dark current.
Model and design high-speed RF electrode configurations and matching transitions to ensure signal integrity at data rates reaching 200 Gbps per lane and beyond.
Own custom mask layouts (GDS/OASIS) within automated design environments, ensuring total adherence to foundry Design Rule Checking (DRC) and Layout Versus Schematic (LVS) rules.
Collaborate with the fab process integration team to optimize process corners, epitaxy parameters, and implant profiles for increased wafer yields.
Partner with validation and test engineering teams to perform hands-on electro-optic characterization, extracting high-speed s-parameters (S₂₁/S₁₁), responsivity, and reliability metrics.
Your Background Includes
Ph.D. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Optics or a related field with a distinct emphasis on optoelectronic devices or high-speed semiconductor physics
3+ years of industry experience in high-speed, integrated photodetector design, processing, and testing
Proficient with high-speed device simulations and circuit design tools (e.g. Ansys HFSS, CST, ADS, Sentaurus TCAD, Crosslight)
Solid grounding in RF/microwave concepts, including transmission line theory, impedance matching, and parasitic RC parameter extraction
Direct experience with devices fabricated from Germanium (Ge) epitaxial growth or hybrid wafer-bonding techniques for III-V materials on silicon substrates.
Proficiency in Python or equivalent programming environments for automated layout generation (e.g., Luceda IPKISS, etc)
Experience using statistical tools (e.g., JMP) and/or Python/SQL to parse automated wafer-level test data.
Familiarity with post-silicon testing protocols for optical transceivers, including bit error rate (BER) and optical eye diagram analysis.
Experience with RF characterization of photonic devices (transceiver modules is a plus)
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and reporting
About OpenLight
OpenLight is growing as customer adoption and industry momentum continue to accelerate. The rapid growth of AI and cloud infrastructure is driving unprecedented demand for faster, more energy-efficient optical connectivity. We are addressing this challenge through a platform approach that simplifies the development of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and accelerates industry adoption.
As part of our team, you will contribute to technologies that enable AI and hyperscale data centers, high-speed optical communications, advanced sensing applications, next-generation photonic integration, and more. Our team is collaborative and fast-moving, and you will have the opportunity to make meaningful contributions across technology, operations, and business growth.
If you are excited about solving challenging problems, advancing cutting-edge technology, and working with a highly collaborative team, we would love to hear from you.