Photonics Research Engineer III

Responsibilities

• Contribute to ongoing and future programs with emphasis in optical communications, signal processing, and sensing.
• Apply advanced knowledge and skills in photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to microwave photonics and/or optical phased arrays.
• Work with small to medium sized research teams comprised of multidisciplinary, SME engineering professionals.
• Contribute to technical tasks such as system development and testing, fundamental and engineering calculations, simulation and modeling, and laboratory R&D tasks.
• Assist project managers in managing technical aspects of programs, leading tasks, assessing program performance, and communicating with clients and SRI senior management.

Qualifications

• PhD in electrical engineering, optics, physics, or related technical discipline.
• PhD thesis or work experience ideally would substantially include photonic integrated circuits (PIC), development from modeling and simulation to layout and characterization and test.
• Experience simulating and testing PICs, analyzing data, and/or PIC component layout.
• Experience in applying PIC systems to application areas such as optical phased arrays, microwave photonics, optical communication, and/or quantum sensing.
• Proficient in scientific programming, e.g., Python, MATLAB, and/or other similar scripting languages.
• Familiarity with process design kits (PDKs) from foundries such as AIM Photonics, Applied Nanotools, and Tower Semiconductor.
• Prior experience working on Government-funded R&D programs.
• Demonstrated experience working in a team environment and managing time while working on multiple projects.

Desired Experience

• Active DoD Secret clearance.
• Familiarity with automated testing and data collection.
• Familiarity with feedback control and stabilization of photonic systems comprised of components such as interferometers, filters, and lasers.
• Demonstrated ability to develop new business with potential customers and familiarity with proposal writing.
• Working with and submitting designs to multi-project wafer runs at PIC foundries.
• Simulating photonic devices in FDTD using Tidy3D, Lumerical, or similar tools.
• Scripted-based layout of photonic components and systems using GDSFactory, Nazca, IPKISS, or similar.
• Designing electro-optic PIC devices in silicon and/or thin-film lithium niobate.
• Precision measurement and/or metrology.
• Leading technical presentations and demonstrations.
• Experience with classified research.

Benefits

For details on benefits, please visit this link.

The salary range is: $101,592-$151,119. Salary ranges will vary and are based on several factors, including geographic location, market competitiveness, and equity amongst internal employees in similar roles.

SRI also offers the Pay for Outstanding Performance program or the annual Performance Based Compensation program.