Electro-Optic Link Hardware Engineer

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.

Lightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!

If you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.

Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!

We're looking for a hands-on Photonics engineer to run verification and characterization of high-speed electro-optic links. You'll spend most of your time at the bench with the EOE team, executing measurements, debugging links, and building the automation that makes characterization faster and repeatable.

Responsibilities:

Run hands-on lab characterization and debug of high-speed electrical/optical hardware

Characterize eye diagrams, BER, jitter, equalization, and channel impairments across process/voltage/temperature

Build and correlate electrical/optical/EO channel models against your own bench measurements

Execute link budget validation measurements and flag gaps between model and silicon

Support silicon bring-up and root-cause debug alongside analog, package, PCB, and SerDes teams

Build automation and scripts (instrument control, data pipelines, analysis) to speed up characterization

Document measurement setups, methods, and results so others can reproduce them

Qualifications:

PhD in EE, Photonics, Physics; or MS +3 years of relevant experience

Hands-on experience characterizing and debugging high-speed serial links (56G/112G+)

Working knowledge of SerDes equalization (CTLE/FFE/DFE) and signal integrity fundamentals (S-parameters, insertion/return loss, crosstalk)

Strong bench skills: VNA, real-time and sampling scopes, BERTs, TDRs

Comfortable building a setup from scratch and knowing when the measurement is lying to you

Solid Python or MATLAB for instrument automation and data analysis

Track record of closing out debug investigations at the bench

Preferred Qualifications:

Silicon photonics or EO link exposure (modulators, photodetectors, optical test)

ADS, HFSS, or similar simulation tools

COM/IBIS-AMI familiarity

Package/PCB channel measurement or de-embedding experience

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.

$140,000 — $170,000 USD

Benefits

Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)

Retirement Savings Matching Program

Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)

Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)

Paid Family Leave

Short Term & Long Term Disability

Training & Development

Commuter Benefits

Flexible, hybrid workplace model

Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees)

Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

Export Control

Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.