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Role description

Senior Photonic RF R&D Test Engineer

Openlight logoOpenlight
WorkplaceOn-site
SenioritySenior
Salary$130,000–$230,000
LocationSanta Barbara, CA
Posted10/11/2026
Engineering

The Role

As a member of OpenLight’s test engineering team based in Goleta, CA, you will work closely with a team of experienced engineers in designing, implementing, automating and executing test solutions to validate the functionality of Silicon Photonics devices and Photonic Integrated Circuits (PIC) at the wafer, die, and package levels. The testing focus is high-speed electro-optic modulator testing of S parameters up to 100 GHz and eye diagrams with data rates up to 400 Gb/s. If you have a strong background in optical and electrical device testing with experience in test automation, this role may be an excellent fit for you!

OpenLight Photonics is an innovative start-up at the forefront of photonic integration, commercializing our cutting-edge heterogeneously integrated silicon photonics platform. OpenLight has a PDK that supports customers designing Photonic ASICs (PASICs) for applications in communications, LIDAR, quantum computing, sensing, and more. OpenLight has over 400 patents covering the integration of many different active and passive components, such as tunable lasers, DFBs, SOAs, modulators, switches, filters, and detectors, onto a single, silicon photonics chip. Join us in an exciting start-up environment with ample opportunities for growth and professional development.

What You Will Do

  • Develop custom test hardware and automated test software for wafer and die testing on our proprietary test stations
  • Design and implement custom test solutions for 100-400 Gb/s optical eye testing at the die and wafer level and execute DVT testing on 1.6T and 3.2 T optical transceivers using industry-standard equipment like BERTs, DCAs, VNAs, and AWGs.
  • Match experimental data to modulator equivalent circuit models
  • Implement different methods of measuring laser RIN and compare their performance
  • Write and debug the test automation scripts in python, implement and verify the analysis equations, and execute the tests on the designated test station
  • Perform data analysis in JMP or python, and communicate with internal and external customers on the test plans, results, and project status
  • Supervise our facilities technician and equipment contractors for ongoing equipment maintenance

Your Background Includes

  • Advanced degree in Electrical/Optical Engineering or Physics
  • Experience in photonic and high-speed RF testing
  • Programming experience, preferably in Python
  • Demonstrated experience in data acquisition systems and data analysis, and fitting test data to model equations
  • Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to work in a fast-paced, collaborative environment
  • Initiative and ability to work independently
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills for technical documentation and reporting

About OpenLight

OpenLight Photonics is an innovative start-up at the forefront of photonic integration, commercializing our cutting-edge heterogeneously integrated silicon photonics platform. OpenLight has a PDK that supports customers designing Photonic ASICs (PASICs) for applications in communications, LIDAR, quantum computing, sensing, and more. OpenLight has over 300 patents covering the integration of many different active and passive components, such as tunable lasers, DFBs, SOAs, modulators, switches, filters, and detectors, onto a single, silicon photonics chip. Join us in an exciting start-up environment with ample opportunities for growth and professional development.

We continue with a hybrid schedule, with a standard of three days/week in office; you select the days you're in, based on what's best for your work priorities.

OpenLight's salary for technical roles is dependent on the skills and experience of the individual, their primary work location, and other parameters; annual salary will generally be somewhere between $130,000-$230,000. In addition to cash compensation, OpenLight offers incentive stock options (ISOs), generous insurance support, 401k matching, unlimited vacation, spot bonuses, and a positive work environment. If you are excited about solving challenging problems, advancing cutting-edge technology, and working with a highly collaborative team, we would love to hear from you.

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Company info

Openlight logo

Openlight

With decades of experience in photonics design, our executive and engineering teams are delivering the world’s first open silicon photonics platform with integrated lasers. You can improve the performance, power efficiency, and reliability of your design using the OpenLight platform for datacom, telecom, LiDAR, healthcare, HPC, AI, and optical computing applications. With over 200 patents and technology adoption by companies across industries, we’re bringing optical solutions to places they’ve never been before, and we’re enabling technologies that weren’t previously possible.

Series A
Founded2022
HQGoleta, United States
Size11–50 employees
Unlock human wisdom
ThesisTermsPrivacy
Industry
Semiconductor Manufacturing
Funding
  • Series A · $50M · Apr 28, 2026
Investors
Matter Venture PartnersAcclimate VenturesCapricorn Investment GroupCatapult VenturesMayfield Fund
Tech stackphoton, ansys-hfss, edx, numpy, java, pics, matlab, pandas, cadence-virtuoso, ansys

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