Senior Optical Systems Engineer
This role focuses on the Optical Bridge programs.
About the role
This role owns the development and execution of test and measurement systems for advanced optical communication systems, with an initial focus on the Optical Bridge programs. Responsibilities include building and automating the optical lab, designing and running complex experiments, and generating experimental data to validate and refine system designs.
What you'll do
- Drive advanced optical technologies into the system, including OSFP, XPO, CPO, diffractive waveguide optical bridges, GRIN, and TIR.
- Translate high-level requirements into detailed optical, electrical, mechanical, thermal, and packaging sub-assembly specifications.
- Develop test methodologies and plans for alignment, coupling, loss, and full system validation.
- Design and run experiments for optical and electro-optical characterization; use results to guide design decisions and reduce technical risk.
- Drive OSAT/ODM partners through design reviews covering component selection, schematics, PCB/substrate layout, 3D-CAD, SI/PI simulation, thermal simulation, and DFM feedback.
- Build and maintain Eridu's Optical Lab, including automated measurement systems using nano-positioners and instrumentation.
What you'll need
- Bachelor's degree in Optics Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Physics.
- 10+ years of experience in optics development spanning optical, electrical, thermal, mechanical, and packaging implementation.
- Track record of taking hardware from concept through shipped production.
- Prior experience with Co-Packaged Optics, Near-Packaged Optics, Optical Compute Interconnect, and Linear Pluggable Optics.
- Experience managing or driving OSAT/ODM suppliers through design and qualification.
- Hands-on experience with link-level metrics such as link-budget analysis, insertion/return loss, OSNR, eye diagrams, jitter, BER, and FEC margining.
- Prior experience in gathering and organizing accurate measurement data and generating publication-quality reports.
Nice to have
- Master’s degree in Optics Engineering, Electrical Engineering or Physics.
- Experience designing or building automated optical lab instrumentation.
- Hands-on experience with programming/scripting (Python and/or MATLAB) for lab automation or data analysis.
- Working knowledge of high-speed design and signal/power integrity considerations.
More semiconductor jobs: Hardware design jobs · California jobs
This role has been open 66 days — well above the 46-day median for Hardware Systems Engineering roles.
Hardware Systems Engineering · AI ML Hardware
|
Open roles in category
1126
|
Median days open
46 d
|
Category median salary (all employers)
$150k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Eridu AI | All employers we track in this specialty (1126 roles · 109 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 6 | 1126 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 14 | 6531 · 156 employers |
| Median days open | 45 d | 46 d (−1 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $150k |
Who's hiring in this category
- Intel Corporation · 88 open roles · median 33 d
- KLA Corporation · 66 open roles · median 59 d
- Applied Materials · 60 open roles · median 40 d
- ASML · 59 open roles · median 17 d
- NVIDIA · 58 open roles · median 74 d
- Teradyne · 58 open roles · median 51 d
How we counted: 1126 open Hardware Systems Engineering (AI ML Hardware) roles from 109 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 8 Nov 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family row. Figures refresh nightly.