Principal Optical Link Engineer

Principal Optical Link Engineer

Location: Santa Barbara, CA | Salary: $190 - 240k + Bonus + Equity

We’re working with an innovative photonics startup developing next-generation optical interconnects for AI and high-performance data centers.

We’re looking for a Principal Optical Link Engineer to lead the development, characterization, and validation of high-speed optical links—from transmitter/receiver PICs through to complete link demonstrations.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and characterize high-speed optical links at the PIC, evaluation-board, and system level.


• Test and troubleshoot lasers, modulators, photodiodes, optical amplifiers, and passive photonic components.


• Define and experimentally validate optical link budgets, including dispersion, polarization, sensitivity, and other impairments.


• Perform advanced measurements using AWGs, oscilloscopes, VNAs, BER testers, OSAs, tunable lasers, and optical power meters.


• Lead root-cause investigations across photonics, high-speed electronics, and DSP.


• Develop automated test and analysis frameworks using Python.


• Establish scalable characterization setups and measurement methodologies for multi-terabit links.


• Collaborate with PIC design, packaging, firmware, and DSP teams while mentoring engineers.

Requirements

• BS in Electrical Engineering, Optics/Photonics, Physics, or related field; MS/PhD preferred.


• 7+ years’ experience developing and validating high-speed optical communication links.


• Hands-on experience with 100G+/lane optical links; coherent experience is a plus.


• Strong PIC-level characterization experience.


• Excellent understanding of link budgets, OSNR, dispersion, polarization, jitter, equalization, and crosstalk.


• Strong Python/test automation skills.


• Experience with silicon photonics, InP photonics, or integrated optical engines.


• Strong communication, analytical, and problem-solving skills.