Sr. Principal Photonics engineer

Primary Duties & Responsibilities

• Evaluate source architectures such as quantum-dot DFB lasers, PIC-enhanced approaches, and comb-based sources against power, wavelength control, integration, reliability, packaging, manufacturability, and platform fit.
• Explore integration approaches for lasers, amplifiers, pumps, modulators, and related active building blocks, with attention to process compatibility, yield, thermal behavior, reliability, and scalability.
• Develop architecture options for high-density, short-reach optical links relevant to memory-adjacent, scale-up, and disaggregated-compute use cases; compare parallel-emitter arrays, silicon photonics, and emerging emitter / receiver concepts using link-level and packaging-level metrics.
• Assess photodiode-array and receiver-side technologies, including SiGe PD array options, link budgets, bandwidth, pitch, integration constraints, and packaging scalability.
• Develop modeling methods that connect device-level behavior with link, thermal, packaging, and system-level trade-offs to guide feasibility decisions and architecture choices.
• Assess selected advanced photonics and quantum-adjacent technologies that may create future opportunities in communications, sensing, or integrated photonics platforms.
• Work with internal experts and business groups to translate early technical findings into project proposals, proof points, and possible transition paths.

Key Responsibilities

• Shape early-stage concepts, feasibility objectives, risk-reduction plans, and prototype approaches for priority CTO Office topics.
• Lead technical evaluations, modeling, design reviews, and trade-off studies with internal or external contributors.
• Develop technical recommendations on performance, manufacturability, integration path, scalability, reliability, and transition readiness.
• Contribute technical input to roadmap discussions in optical interconnect, CPO / optical I/O, AI/HPC infrastructure, silicon photonics, advanced light sources, detector technologies, and related photonics platforms.
• Translate emerging technology options into clear milestones, risks, decision points, and recommended next steps.
• Connect future system needs, internal capabilities, external opportunities, and business-group priorities into actionable technical options.
• Build a practical view of relevant startups, universities, research institutes, suppliers, and technology partners.
• Develop technology input for build / partner / buy discussions and potential collaboration opportunities.
• Collaborate with CTO Office colleagues, internal experts, business groups, and external partners to advance relevant opportunities from evaluation toward proof points.
• Prepare concise technical recommendations for senior technical, product, and business stakeholders.
• Represent Coherent in relevant technical forums, partner meetings, university discussions, and ecosystem engagements when relevant.

Education & Experience

• Advanced degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Photonics, or related field; Ph.D. preferred.
• 15+ years of experience in photonics, optical communications, semiconductor lasers, optoelectronic devices, data-center optical interconnect, quantum photonics, or related advanced technology fields.
• Deep technical understanding of optical I/O, semiconductor photonics, III-V devices, silicon photonics, photodetectors, advanced light sources, and system-level optical-interconnect trade-offs.
• Experience translating ambiguous technical opportunities into architectures, project scope, feasibility plans, risks, milestones, and technical recommendations.
• Experience with modeling, simulation, data analysis, and technical decision support using tools such as Python, COMSOL, Lumerical, Matlab, or equivalent.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional R&D work across design, process, packaging, reliability, product, and business stakeholders.
• Experience with technology scouting, startup evaluation, partner assessment, roadmap input, or external innovation engagement.

Skills

• Deep technical credibility with photonics, optical interconnect, device physics, and advanced-development teams.
• Strong system-level thinking across devices, process scalability, packaging, link architecture, and product relevance.
• Ability to define clear technical directions from complex trade-offs and incomplete information.
• Entrepreneurial mindset and ability to create practical project concepts before they are fully defined by customer pull.
• Collaborative leadership style and ability to influence across sites, business groups, and external partners.
• Clear communication with senior technical, product, and business audiences.

About Us

Coherent is a global leader in lasers, engineered materials and networking components. We are a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Coherent provides a comprehensive career development platform within an environment that challenges employees to perform at their best, while rewarding excellence and hard-work through a competitive compensation program. It's an exciting opportunity to work for a company that offers stability, longevity and growth. Come Join Us!