Photonics Design Engineer

Job description

At LIGENTEC, our mission is to make photonic integration accessible and industrially scalable. We deliver best-in-class silicon nitride platforms, design enablement, and integrated solutions that empower our customers to innovate faster and bring light-based technologies from concept to reality. We are looking for a PCM Design Engineer to act as the technical bridge between architectural vision and manufacturable reality. In this role, you will strengthen our design competence and expand our bandwidth during a critical phase of growth. You won't just be designing components; you will be the owner of the PCM Building Blocks, responsible for the full lifecycle: from initial simulation and layout to metrology planning and deep-dive data analysis. About the role You will play a cross-functional role, collaborating closely with Characterization teams to implement Design for Testability (DFT) and interfacing with our 200mm process and yield engineering teams to ensure Design for Manufacturability (DFM). Your work ensures that our photonic integrated circuits are not only high-performing but also scalable and reliable. PCM Building Block Development: Design, simulation, layout, metrology planning, and data analysis of integrated photonic components. Design for Testability (DFT): Collaborate with the characterization team to gather capabilities, design necessary test structures, support test planning and develop and analyse extracted data. Design for Manufacturability (DFM): Interface with the 200mm process team and yield engineering to collect requirements and capabilities, design appropriate test structures, and assist with test planning, data processing, and analysis. Technical Project Planning and Reporting: Take responsibility for project feasibility analysis and ensure clear, concise, and thorough documentation and technical reporting. What you know To hit the ground running in our PDK/PCM team, you should bring: Educational Background: An MSc or PhD in Photonics, Physics, or a related Engineering field. Industrial Experience: At least 3 years of hands-on experience in integrated optics design, ideally within a commercial or industrial environment. Design Tooling: Expert proficiency in Lumerical (or similar simulation tools) and photonic layout suites such as IPKISS or GDSFactory. Technical Stack: Strong Python skills (specifically for data science/engineering with NumPy, SciPy) and a disciplined approach to Code Versioning (Git). Domain Expertise: A solid understanding of various photonic material platforms and a proven track record of designing passive photonic components and circuits. Familiarity with active component design or heterogeneous integration is a significant plus. Who you are A critical thinker: You don't just follow a workflow; you analyze project feasibility and challenge assumptions to find the most efficient path forward. An adaptable problem-solver: You thrive in dynamic environments where priorities can shift, and you maintain a solutions-oriented mindset under pressure. An effective communicator: You can translate complex technical data into clear, concise reports and documentation for both local and remote teams. Independent yet collaborative: You are comfortable taking full ownership of your projects while remaining a proactive partner to our yield and characterization specialists. Linguistic versatility: You are fluent in English; if you speak French, that’s a fantastic asset for our local ecosystem. What's in it for me? We offer a unique career opportunity where you will directly impact our global expansion by translating our market-leading, next-generation photonics R&D into business success. You will be welcomed by an agile, international team of over 30 nationalities, valued for its enthusiasm, short decision paths, and open culture. With us, you're empowered to drive strategy and make a tangible difference from day one, all within an environment that genuinely supports work-life harmony and professional development.