PHOTONIC INTEGRATED CIRCUIT DESIGNER
Mesh Optical Technologies was founded on the belief that optical photons will be at the center of advanced technologies in the coming century. Making advanced technology ubiquitous means building at scale, and that’s exactly what we’re doing at Mesh.
As we develop the next generation of photonic integrated circuits for high-volume optical manufacturing, we are seeking a Photonic Integrated Circuit Designer to architect, simulate, and bring to production the core optical building blocks—modulators, filters, couplers, and more—across silicon photonics, III–V, and other platforms. You will work at the intersection of photonic design, RF engineering, and manufacturing, translating cutting-edge circuit concepts into production-ready components that perform reliably at scale.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Design, analyze, and simulate Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) building blocks (e.g., Mach–Zehnder modulators, photodiodes, DWDM filters, waveguides, couplers/splitters, tapers, and switches) on silicon photonics and InGaAs/InP platforms
- Define requirements and specifications for PICs and their optical/electrical interfaces
- Design and model package-level optical interfaces, including edge and grating couplers
- Work with DSP, electro-optics, ASIC, and other engineering teams to define system functions across hardware and software
- Perform PIC routing and layout
- Measure and characterize PIC optical and electrical building blocks
- Develop and automate test solutions for lab validation, quality screening, and manufacturing metrology
- Partner with manufacturing and test teams on production test development and qualification of PICs
- Use simulation tools (e.g., Lumerical, Klayout, COMSOL, HFSS) to support design and verification
- Contribute to RF, analog, and mixed-signal design efforts as needed
- Interface with suppliers to provide technical feedback and test requirements to develop reliable processes
QUALIFICATIONS:
- Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, optical engineering, or applied physics
- 2+ years of experience in photonics or electro-optical IC design
- Hands-on familiarity with optical/RF test equipment (e.g., spectrum analyzers, VNAs, VSGs, high-speed oscilloscopes, BERTs)
- Willingness to work extended hours and weekends as needed
PREFERRED EXPERIENCE:
- PhD in electrical engineering, computer engineering (electro-optics emphasis), optical engineering, or applied physics
- Experience with electrical simulation tools (e.g., SPICE)
- Familiarity with DSP concepts (e.g., FFE, DFE, CTLE) and optical communications metrics (e.g., OSNR, receiver sensitivity, OMA, optical filtering)
- Strong circuit design and analysis skills across linear and non-linear blocks (e.g., modulator drivers, TIAs, CTLEs, filters, LNAs/PAs)
- Experience designing wideband circuits for >100 Gb/s SerDes links with bandwidths in the tens of GHz
- Familiarity with high-speed modulation formats and link protocols (e.g., NRZ, PAM4)
- Experience designing RF/DC probe-card PCBs
- Experience characterizing PIC/EIC performance for high-speed optical SerDes systems
COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS:
Pay range:
Photonic Integrated Circuit Designer: $160,000.00 - $190,000.00/per year
Title and base salary are determined on a case by case basis commensurate with experience and merit.
In addition to base salary, compensation for this role includes:
- Eligibility for long-term incentives including company stock options and discretionary bonuses awarded for exceptional achievements.
- Comprehensive medical, vision, and dental insurance with significant cost covered by the company for yourself and dependents.
- Paid parental leave and flexible PTO (3 weeks accrued vacation and 10 company holidays per year).
- 401(k) retirement plan access.
- Relocation assistance to sunny Los Angeles.