MMIC Design Engineer - San Jose, United States
Originally posted 26 October 2026 by the employer.
About the role
The MMIC Design Engineer designs and develops high-speed analog and monolithic microwave integrated circuits that support photonic interconnects. This role owns circuit design from concept through tapeout and silicon validation across DC-to-tens-of-GHz operating ranges on advanced process nodes.
What you'll do
- Design and develop high-speed analog and MMIC circuits, including amplifiers, drivers, TIAs, and related building blocks operating from DC to tens of GHz. - Own the full design cycle from architecture and schematic design through simulation, layout guidance, tapeout, and silicon validation. - Perform EM modelling and simulation of passives, interconnects, and critical structures using Cadence EMX. - Run parasitic extraction, EM/IR, and reliability analysis using Quantus QRC and Voltus-XFi for signoff readiness. - Simulate and verify designs using Spectre and Synopsys HSPICE/PrimeSim across process, voltage, and temperature corners. - Partner with layout engineers to optimize floorplans and complete physical verification with Calibre, developing automation scripts in Cadence SKILL, Perl, and Unix shell.
What you'll need
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering or a related field. - 5+ years (MS) or 3+ years (PhD) of analog IC design experience, with high-speed or advanced process node experience, or 10+ years of EDA experience. - Proficiency in Cadence EMX, Virtuoso Studio, Spectre, Quantus QRC, Voltus-XFi/EMIR, Calibre, and Synopsys HSPICE/PrimeSim. - Strong understanding of DC-to-tens-of-GHz analog design, device physics, parasitics, EM effects, and high-frequency analysis. - Skill in Cadence SKILL, Perl, and Unix shell scripting for automation.
Nice to have
- Experience designing circuits for optical interconnects, such as laser and modulator drivers or TIAs. - Tapeout experience in advanced CMOS, SiGe BiCMOS, or similar high-frequency process technologies. - Hands-on lab experience with high-frequency measurement equipment such as VNAs, sampling oscilloscopes, and BERTs. - Familiarity with high-speed package and board co-design, including signal integrity and transmission line modelling. - Experience working with engineering teams across multiple international locations.
Skills: MMIC, analog IC design, Cadence EMX, Spectre, TIA
This role has been open 0 days — well below the 80-day median for Optical/Photonics IC Design roles.
Optical/Photonics IC Design · Photonics
|
Open roles in category
136
|
Median days open
80 d
|
Median salary
$195k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Lumilens | All employers we track in this specialty (136 roles · 30 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 7 | 136 |
| Median days open | 59 d | 80 d (−21 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $195k |
Skills observed across this category: MMIC, analog IC design, Cadence EMX, Spectre, TIA
Who's hiring in this category
- Coherent Corp · 17 open roles · median 96 d
- GlobalFoundries · 16 open roles · median 82 d
- Lightmatter · 14 open roles · median 101 d
- Lumentum · 10 open roles · median 83 d
- Marvell Technology · 10 open roles · median 38 d
- Intel Corporation · 7 open roles · median 66 d
How we counted: 136 open Optical/Photonics IC Design (Photonics) roles from 30 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 26 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there. Figures refresh nightly.