{"id":498771,"url":"https://alion.io/job/sri-international-sr-photonics-research-engineer","title":"Sr. Photonics Research Engineer","company":{"id":58826,"name":"SRI International","domain":"sri.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/sri-international","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"iCIMS","truth_index":null},"role":"AI/ML","role_family":"AI/ML","seniority":"senior","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Boulder, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":117684,"max":175054,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":175054},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":4,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false},{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-07T08:48:36Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-19","last_verified_at":"2026-10-28T23:32:47Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":51,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":51},"description":"Overview\nSRI's Applied Physics Laboratory, in Boulder, CO, has an opportunity for a Sr Photonics Research Engineer with experience as a technical leader in photonic integrated circuits to execute on a variety of projects ranging from optical phased arrays to microwave photonic systems. SRI specializes in developing and transitioning technology from basic research and development (R&D) to fieldable prototypes for both US government and commercial customers. Our Advanced Technology and Systems Division (ATSD) performs research spanning advanced signal processing, robotics, quantum physics, and ocean modeling. This position is on-site in Boulder, CO.\nResponsibilities\nA successful candidate will contribute to ongoing and future programs with emphasis in optical communications, signal processing, and sensing, to apply their experience as a principal investigator and their advanced knowledge and skills in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to microwave photonics and/or optical phased arrays. They will work with small to medium sized research teams comprised of multidisciplinary, subject matter expert (SME) engineering professionals with expertise ranging from PICs, stabilized lasers, optical communications, and RF signal processing to quantum sensing, applied mathematics and computer science. Their contributions will range from technical tasks to leadership roles, such as being a principal investigator for future programs and proposal opportunities.\nTechnical contributions will primarily include system development and testing, fundamental and engineering calculations, simulation and modeling, and other laboratory R&D tasks.\nManagement-level tasks include leading tasks, leading future proposal opportunities, and communicating with clients and SRI senior management.\nQualifications\nPhD in electrical engineering, optics, physics or related technical discipline\n4+ years related experience that may include industry experience\nU.S. Citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance due to government contract requirements\nExperience leading technical projects as a principal investigator\nExperience leading proposal efforts for US Government funding\nDemonstrated ability to develop new business with potential customers and familiarity with proposal writing\nLeading technical presentations and demonstrations\nExperience simulating and testing PICs, analyzing data, and/or PIC component layout\nExperience in applying PIC systems to application areas such as optical phased arrays, microwave photonics, optical communication, and/or quantum sensing\nProficient in scientific programming e.g., Python, MATLAB, and/or other similar scripting languages\nFamiliarity with process design kits (PDKs) from foundries such as AIM Photonics, Applied Nanotools, and Tower Semiconductor\nDemonstrated experience working in a team environment and managing time while working on multiple projects\nDesired:\nActive DoD Secret clearance\nFamiliarity with automated testing and data collection\nFamiliarity with feedback control and stabilization of photonic systems comprised of components such as interferometers, filters, and lasers\nThe following experience:\nWorking with and submitting designs to multi-project wafer runs at PIC foundries\nSimulating photonic devices in FDTD using Tidy3D, Lumerical, or similar tools\nWith scripted-based layout of photonic components and systems using GDSFactory, Nazca, IPKISS, or similar\nWith precision measurement and/or metrology\nThe salary range is: $117,684-$175,054. Salary ranges will vary and are based on several factors, including geographic location, market competitiveness and equity amongst internal employees in similar roles. Positions may also qualify for SRI's Pay for Outstanding Performance program or the annual Performance Based Compensation program. SRI also has a competitive benefits package, to view details please go to https://www.sri.com/resources/benefits/. SRI will accept applications until the position is filled.\nSRI is an independent nonprofit research institute headquartered in Menlo Park, Calif., with a rich history of supporting government and industry. We create and deliver world-changing solutions for a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future. For more than 75 years, we have collaborated across technical and scientific disciplines to discover and develop groundbreaking products and technologies and bring innovations and ideas to the marketplace.","description_format":"text","description_chars":4457,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":4,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Equity"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Optical Communications","AI Research Labs","Nonprofits & Foundations","Research Institutes"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-07T08:48:36Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 18","filings_12m":18,"filings_prev_12m":18,"green_card_filings_12m":0,"median_offered_wage_usd":140000,"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)"],"filings_for_role_12m":11}],"liveness":{"score":15,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.431,"p_room":0.35,"age_days":50,"expected_fill_days":12,"reasons":["conf:0","win:tail"],"computed_at":"2026-10-28T05:59:10Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":175054,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/sri-international-sr-photonics-research-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/sri-international-sr-photonics-research-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-29T00:46:06Z","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":1131,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-30T00:00:00Z"}},"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":58826},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58826"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fsri-international-sr-photonics-research-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%2Fsri-international-sr-photonics-research-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%2Fsri-international-sr-photonics-research-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/sri-international-sr-photonics-research-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fsri-international-sr-photonics-research-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":498771}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"sri.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":498771},"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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