Principal Silicon Photonics Product Engineer

Ottawa, ON, Canada
Kanata, ON, Canada

Full-time

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Job details

Job type: Full-time
Apply by: Nov 14, 2026
Experience: 5 years of industry experience working in silicon photonics, integrated optics or relevant fields.
Posting language: English
Posted: Oct 15, 2026

Original job description

Job Description

Are you a passionate Silicon Photonics Design Engineer eager to contribute to groundbreaking research and development? Join our team and play a key role in designing and developing cutting-edge silicon photonics integrated circuits. You'll lead the entire development process, from design and fabrication to testing and analysis, for complex photonic devices and systems-on-chip. Collaborate with experienced designers on innovative projects and large-scale silicon photonics circuits. Apply now and be part of a team pushing the boundaries of photonic technology!

How You Will Contribute And What You Will Learn

Drive the architecture and development of next-generation optical engines in advanced Si photonics process technologies for high-performance pluggable optics and embedded solutions for coherent DWDM long-haul and metro transport applications.
Own product definition, PIC architecture innovation, and specification of integrated photonic circuits for coherent Tx/Rx signal processing chains, critical optical components, and comprehensive test methodologies tailored to meet demanding requirements across long-haul, metro, and pluggable coherent optical systems.
Spearhead link budget development and optimization across coherent optical transport links, driving analysis of system performance, channel impairments, chromatic dispersion, polarization effects, active and passive component margins, and foundry process capabilities to ensure first-pass silicon photonic designs meet aggressive performance targets in both long-haul and metro deployments.
Champion design-for-test and design-for-manufacturing (DFM) best practices, establishing photonic device characterization strategies and test protocols to enable rapid volume ramp and high-yield manufacturing in next-generation coherent pluggable platforms and integrated transceiver solutions.
Lead design reviews as a recognized subject matter expert in silicon photonic component design, setting technical direction and raising the bar for system-level performance, power efficiency, and manufacturability across diverse coherent optical applications.
Drive cross-functional execution with photonics design, RFIC/EIC, DSP, packaging, product engineering, foundry technology partners, test development, and product leadership to architect and deploy scalable design automation, simulation frameworks, and test infrastructure that accelerates deployment of innovative coherent optic solutions.

Key Skills And Experience

You have:

MS or Ph.D. graduate in integrated optics silicon photonics, electrical engineering, or applied physics.
5 years of industry experience working in silicon photonics, integrated optics or relevant fields.
Possess extensive technical expertise in silicon photonics device design (including device performance characterization and validation).
Lab experience in optical engineering test, fiber-waveguide coupling, and design verification testing.
Experience in RF design, test and characterization of photonic devices, using devices such VNAs, spectrum analyzers, etc.
Solid programming skills in Python or C/C++
General good understanding of general concepts in physics, especially in optics or electromagnetics.

It would be nice if you had:

Previous experience as Nokia intern or co-op, proficiency with optics design tools, such as Lumerical.
Experience with designing or characterizing silicon photonic or other integrated optical/optoelectronic devices or circuits. Strong understanding of general concepts in fiber optics and integrated optics. Experience in photonic integrated circuit design, modeling and layout.
Solid numerical and physics-related programming skills. Experience with high-frequency design and modeling.

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Responsibilities

Lead the architecture, product definition, design, and development of silicon photonic optical engines and integrated circuits for coherent long-haul, metro, and pluggable optical systems. Optimize link performance and manufacturing readiness, establish characterization and test strategies, lead technical design reviews, and coordinate execution across engineering, foundry, test, and product teams.

Requirements

Requires an MS or PhD in integrated optics, silicon photonics, electrical engineering, or applied physics, along with at least five years of relevant industry experience. Candidates should have expertise in silicon photonic device design and characterization, optical lab testing and fiber-waveguide coupling, RF test equipment, and Python or C/C++ programming.

Skills

Silicon Photonics Design
Photonic Integrated Circuit Architecture
Optical Link Budget Analysis
Optical Engineering Testing
Device Characterization and Validation
Fiber-Waveguide Coupling
RF Design and Testing
Design for Test
Design for Manufacturing
Python
C/C++
Optical System Performance Analysis
Photonic Circuit Modeling and Layout
High-Frequency Design and Modeling
Cross-Functional Technical Leadership

Visa sponsorship

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Keywords

Silicon Photonics
Integrated Optics
Photonic Integrated Circuits
Optical Engines
Coherent Optics
DWDM
Long-Haul Optical Transport
Metro Optical Networks
Pluggable Optics
PIC Architecture
Link Budget
Chromatic Dispersion
Polarization Effects
Design for Test
Design for Manufacturing
Device Characterization
Optical Testing
Fiber-Waveguide Coupling
RF Design
VNA
Spectrum Analyzer
Python
C/C++
Lumerical
Photonic Circuit Modeling
Photonic Circuit Layout
High-Frequency Design
Foundry Process Technologies
Optical Transceivers
System-on-Chip

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