Principal PIC Design Engineer

Principal PIC Design Engineer

Department: Chip & Test Engineering

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: British Columbia, Canada

Compensation: The base annual salary range for this full-time role is $162,800 to $223,900 CAD. This range reflects the minimum and maximum target range for new hire base salary across all Canadian locations. Actual compensation may vary outside of this range and is dependent on various factors including but not limited to a candidate's qualifications including relevant education and training, competencies, experience, geographic location, and business needs. Base pay is only one part of the total compensation package. Full time roles are eligible for equity and benefits. Base pay is subject to change and may be modified in the future.

Principal PIC Design Engineer designs and optimizes photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and plays a key role in the development of our photonic quantum computer. You will design first‑of‑their‑kind photonic integrated circuits for implementing truly scalable quantum technologies. The Principal PIC Design Engineer is an expert in the design and simulation of active and passive photonic integrated circuit components and systems. You will be comfortable working in a diverse, multi-disciplinary team of engineers and scientists.

Please include a cover letter with your resume (in one file) describing how you would be a great fit at Photonic and what attributes you could bring to our growing team.

WHAT WE NEED YOU TO DO

• Design and optimize complex active and passive, large‑scale silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) at both the system and component level
• Generate new software and scripts as required to meet design and analysis goals
• Work with foundries and manufacturers
• Conduct trade studies and analysis of alternatives (AoAs) to explore design options and their trade‑offs for components
• Propose and analyze experiments to validate and refine simulation models
• Present verbal and written findings to cross‑functional teams
• Translate analysis into recommendations for future development directions
• Work on issues of integration with other chips and systems
• Create polished simulation flows and documentation to collaborate with other PIC design engineers
• Collaborate with a team of PIC designers, device engineers, nanofabrication engineers, and physicists
• Train, guide, and mentor team members on all frameworks and best practices
• Contribute to our IP portfolio

WHAT YOU BRING TO OUR TEAM

• Master’s or PhD degree in electrical engineering, applied physics or other relevant discipline
• 10+ years of experience with silicon photonics in an industrial setting
• Familiarity in designing photonic layouts with KLayout, Luceda, Cadence, Mentor Graphics, or equivalent
• Deep expertise in designing and optimizing silicon photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and devices
• Experience in common programming languages like Python and MATLAB
• Proficiency in electromagnetic simulation using common tools, like Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, INTERCONNECT), Tidy3D
• Strong understanding of photonics, electronics, and electromagnetic compatibility
• Familiarity in optical bench experiments with tools like parameter analyzers, optical spectrum analyzers, laser sources, etc.
• Excellent teamwork, interpersonal, and written communication skills
• Ability to work independently while also being a great team member

AN EXCEPTIONAL CANDIDATE WILL BRING

• 15+ years of experience with silicon photonics in an industrial setting
• Experience in designing high‑performance optical switches and modulators (high speed in GHz range, low optical loss, low power dissipation, etc.)
• Experience with inverse design optimization techniques (adjoint method, particle swarm optimization (PSO), genetic algorithms (GA), gradient ascent, etc.)
• Experience in designing high‑performance single‑photon detectors
• Deep expertise in designing and optimizing photonic integrated circuits (PICs) on silicon nitride or hybrid material platforms
• Experience with high‑frequency chip design (RFIC/MMIC) and signal modeling in tools like HFSS
• Experience with thermal and mechanical modeling of components in tools like COMSOL (FEM)
• Experience in modeling doping, diffusion and electrical device performance in tools like Sentarus or Silvaco (TCAD)
• Experience with PIC packaging, fabrication and test
• Knowledge of quantum optics
• Knowledge of cryogenic PICs

WHY YOU SHOULD WORK WITH US

• Work closely with some of the brightest innovators in quantum technologies to drive breakthroughs that redefine computing
• Enjoy a fast‑paced and fun environment where you can try new things while solving innovative challenges every day
• Inclusive company culture that values collaboration
• Regular social events and fun activities keep our global team connected
• Competitive compensation package including base salary, stock options, and relocation assistance for global talent
• Comprehensive benefits including extended health, dental, life, long term disability, an employee assistance program, parental leave top‑ups, and a flexible spending account

The description above is what we think an ideal candidate would look like for this role. At Photonic, we understand that everyone has a different work and life journey. If you feel your experience is close to what we've described, but you might not meet all the requirements, please still apply! All roles listed are for current vacancies. While artificial intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in reviewing applicant profiles, they do not determine candidate outcomes. Our hiring decisions are made by people, not algorithms. We are committed to fostering, cultivating, and preserving a culture of equity, diversity, and inclusion. We embrace and encourage our employees’ differences, knowing that these very differences inspire innovation and build better teams. If there are any accommodations our team can make throughout our hiring process, please let us know.

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