Electro-Optic Link Hardware Engineer

lightmatter

Mountain View, CA · Mountain View · United States

Posted Jul 20, 2026

Full-time
Hybrid
Photonics & Silicon Engineering

Job 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.

Lightmatter 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!

If 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.

Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!

We're looking for a hands-on Photonics engineer to lead verification and characterization of high-speed electro-optic links across multiple silicon and system programs. You'll work at the bench alongside the EOE team owning modeling methodology, measurement standards, and serving as the escalation point for the toughest signal integrity and link-performance problems in the org.

Responsibilities:

Run hands-on lab characterization and debug of high-speed electrical/optical hardware, including novel failure modes
Build system-level electrical/optical/EO channel models and correlate them against your own bench measurements
Own link budget and verification methodology while staying hands-on with the validating measurements
Characterize eye diagrams, BER, jitter, equalization, and channel impairments
Support silicon bring-up and root-cause debug with analog, package, PCB, and SerDes teams
Influence chip/package/system architecture tradeoffs based on bench findings
Mentor Senior/Staff engineers without stepping back from lab work
Build automation/tools to speed up characterization work

Qualifications:

MS/PhD in EE, Photonics, Physics (8+ yrs) or BS/MS (10+ yrs)
Ownership of verification strategy for a full silicon/system program
Deep expertise in 56G/112G/224G+ serial links, SerDes equalization (CTLE/FFE/DFE), and signal integrity (S-parameters, crosstalk, link budgets)
Hands-on lab experience leading investigations that stalled others
Strong Python/MATLAB for team-used automation frameworks
Proficiency with VNA, scopes, BERTs, TDRs, and tools like ADS, HFSS, Cadence, COMSOL
Track record mentoring engineers

Preferred Qualifications:

Silicon photonics/EO systems at the architecture level
Package/PCB/channel co-design ownership
COM/IBIS-AMI modeling, patents/standards contributions (OIF, IEEE 802.3)

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Salary 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.

$195,000—$250,000 USD

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
Retirement Savings Matching Program
Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
Paid Family Leave
Short Term & Long Term Disability
Training & Development
Commuter Benefits
Flexible, hybrid workplace model
Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees)

Benefits 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.

Export Control

Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.