Optical Interconnect Jobs at Ayar Labs and Lightmatter
Moving data between AI processors is becoming a hiring area of its own. Our job index currently tracks 657 active optical and photonics postings across 65 companies.
Ayar Labs and Lightmatter stand out because optical interconnect is central to what they build. Their hiring also shows the range of engineering needed to move data with light instead of copper.
Ayar Labs and Lightmatter hiring totals
Ayar Labs has 105 active companywide postings, including 28 that meet the optical and photonics criteria used for this report.
Lightmatter has 65 active companywide postings, including 20 in the optical and photonics group.
The companywide totals include engineering, software, operations and business positions. The smaller figures count only jobs classified as optical or photonics work, or with optical or photonics in the title.
Ayar Labs is hiring beyond photonics design
Ayar Labs develops TeraPHY optical engines and SuperNova light sources for co-packaged optics.
In September, the company said its 2026 funding had reached $650 million. It plans to use the funding for product development, validation, manufacturing readiness and a new design center in Bengaluru.
In November, Ayar Labs also demonstrated an optical AI server design developed with Wiwynn. The system delivered more than 100 Tbps of bandwidth per accelerator.
Its 105 current postings include:
- Photonics design: 12
- Hardware systems: 13
- Silicon test and validation: 14
- Analog, mixed signal and SerDes: 8
- Digital and RTL design: 6
- Design verification: 5
- Physical design: 4
- Packaging and integration: 4
- Reliability and quality: 5
- Manufacturing and operations: 5
- Embedded firmware, infrastructure and EDA: 11
- Nonengineering positions: 18
Ayar Labs has more test and validation positions than photonics design positions. It is also hiring in packaging, reliability, manufacturing and operations. These jobs support the work required to test, manufacture and deliver optical products.
Its largest locations are:
- San Jose, California: 68 postings
- Bengaluru, India: 23
- Hsinchu, Taiwan: 7
- Thailand: 7
Lightmatter remains more concentrated in design
Lightmatter develops the Passage family of photonic interconnect products.
In March, the company announced the Passage L20, a 6.4 Tbps optical engine for near package and on board optical connections. It is also working with Global Unichip to bring co-packaged optics to market.
Its 65 current postings include:
- Photonics design: 14
- Hardware systems: 12
- Physical design: 6
- Analog, mixed signal and SerDes: 5
- Digital and RTL design: 5
- Design verification: 3
- Silicon test and validation: 5
- Packaging and integration: 1
- Manufacturing and operations: 3
- Software, firmware and EDA: 6
- Nonengineering positions: 5
Lightmatter has a higher concentration of photonics design, physical design and hardware systems work. It has fewer current positions in packaging, manufacturing, reliability and quality than Ayar Labs.
Its largest locations are:
- Mountain View, California: 31 postings
- Boston, Massachusetts: 23
- Toronto, Canada: 11
Published US pay
Both companies publish compensation on nearly all their US postings.
At Ayar Labs, all 68 US postings include compensation. Among 47 annual positions, the median published range is $175,000 to $223,000. Another 21 internship or contract postings publish hourly pay.
At Lightmatter, 53 of 54 US postings include compensation. Among 44 annual positions that publish a minimum, the median starting salary is $186,000. Twenty seven positions also publish an upper limit, with a median maximum of $246,000.
The figures cover different jobs and experience levels, so they should not be treated as a direct pay comparison between the companies. For broader comparisons by discipline and career level, see our US semiconductor salary benchmarks.
What the hiring shows
Ayar Labs currently has more positions in silicon validation, packaging, reliability and manufacturing. Its second largest hiring location is Bengaluru, with 23 active postings.
Lightmatter has a greater concentration of photonics design and physical design work, with most of its positions in Mountain View and Boston.
Both companies need engineers who can work across optical and electrical systems. Recurring areas include photonic integrated circuits, laser integration, SerDes, analog and mixed signal design, advanced packaging, thermal engineering and post silicon validation.
For senior openings across these and other semiconductor companies, visit the Director and VP semiconductor jobs page.
Related reports
Our Marvell and Lumentum hiring analysis looks at the electrical and optical sides of AI connectivity at two larger companies.
The report on advanced packaging, HBM and silicon photonics jobs covers the connection between photonics, packaging and chiplet integration.
For a broader look at recent semiconductor hiring, see the October 2026 semiconductor hiring roundup.
Browse the optical and photonics positions currently published on our job board.
Job counts are from our full index of company career sites as of November 12, 2026. The public job board contains a selection of these positions. Each posting is counted once. Salary figures are employer published base pay and exclude bonuses and equity.