The posting, in Voyant Photonics's own words
archived Oct 29, 2026Senior Photonics Design Engineer - Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) / Active Devices)
About us:
Voyant Photonics builds silicon photonic chips that steer and switch light at high speed. They power next generation, chip-scale FMCW LiDAR for robotics and autonomy, and optical circuit switches (OCS) for AI data centers. Based in NYC, we’re a hands-on team designing, building, and deploying frontier hardware to solve problems that matter, from how machines see to how AI scales. Why Join Us? At Voyant, you'll help develop some of the most sophisticated silicon photonic chips, spanning two exciting applications: optical circuit switching for AI data centers and chip-scale LiDAR sensing. You'll tackle engineering challenges at the intersection of photonic device physics, large-scale circuit integration, and semiconductor manufacturing, developing high-performance photonic components that enable PICs with hundreds to thousands of integrated optical devices. As a Senior Silicon Photonics Design Engineer, you'll take ownership of component development from concept and simulation through layout, tapeout, and characterization. You'll have the opportunity to innovate on photonic device designs, directly influence product performance, and work closely with a multidisciplinary team in a fast-paced startup environment.
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The Role:
Design, simulate, and optimize active and passive silicon photonic components, with a focus on Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers (SOAs), optical switches, modulators, and photodetectors. Develop innovative SOA and active device designs to enhance optical performance, optimizing small-signal gain, saturation power, noise figure, bandwidth, and fabrication tolerances. Perform electromagnetic, thermal, and multiphysics simulations to model carrier dynamics, heat dissipation, and nonlinearities across active waveguide geometries. Design component layouts and dedicated test structures for III-V/Si heterogeneous integration, collaborating with layout engineers to ensure robust thermal management and electrical contact routing. Drive component development through foundry tapeouts, including design reviews, verification, and coordination with manufacturing partners. Analyze optical characterization data and wafer-level measurements to validate designs and guide improvements. Collaborate with system-level PIC designers to translate system requirements into component specifications. Work with foundry partners to understand process capabilities and develop robust, manufacturable designs.