Photonics Design Team Lead

At Lumiphase, we are looking for a Photonics Design Team Lead to join our growing team of 50+ talents pushing the boundaries of optical semiconductor products.

You will lead a team of Engineers for the realization of photonic designs and circuits, and the development of new optical components related to our integrated photonic technology.

In this role, you will both guide and organize the team for taping out new mask sets, performing optical simulations of optical components, and designing photonic integrated circuits for our products, as well as execute hands on work yourself. You will work in cross-functional teams with versatile and exciting responsibilities, e.g. connecting design work with fabrication and testing teams, and report to the Co-CEO.

At Lumiphase, we are dedicated to creating superior photonic products to solve hard problems in the field of communication as a big team effort. This is a prime opportunity to be part of the journey revolutionizing semiconductor photonic chips!

• Take the leading role in the Lumiphase design and layout team, guiding and training team members, structuring the team, and growing the team by assisting recruitment efforts
• Support and review the design of photonic chips to meet customer specifications
• Support the design optical components and circuits for tape out in semiconductor foundries, including an adaption of designs to PDK requirements
• Guide and support the development of workflows and tools to streamline design and layout work in the team
• Guide the development of our PDK
• Ensure the validation of new and existing designs by evaluating experimental data, including statistical analysis
• Create an environment and enable good documentation of technical work using the existing logging/storage infrastructure
• Work in a dynamic team of engineers, researchers, technicians, and operators

• 5+ years of industrial experience related to creating PIC products, i.e. in designing components and circuits for fabrication in commercial silicon photonic foundry platforms
• Experience with leading the chip design of photonic products according to customer requirements
• Deep understanding of optoelectronics, integrated photonic circuits and their applications
• Extensive experience with optical simulation tools (e.g. Lumerical, COMSOL, or similar) and layout tools (e.g. ipkiss, gdsfactory, Cadence, or similar) to design photonic components and circuits
• Strong programming skills (e.g. python, C#) and proficiency in statistical data analysis
• Solid interpersonal skills that enable you to effectively lead and grow a talented and diverse team. Experience in team leadership is a plus, but the right mentality to grow into this area is also a possibility.
• Creative, motivated, critical thinking, and a hands-on attitude with the drive to tackle hard challenges
• Good organizational skills to plan and operate time-critical processes, and experience
• Ability to learn quickly and effectively transfer that knowledge to others
• Strong English verbal and written communication skills

Nice to have:

• Experience with the design of electro-optic transmitters
• Experience with the design and layout of high-speed electro-optic modulators and switches

At Lumiphase, we offer a young, fast-growing, and dynamic working environment with broad options for personal development. We have world-class technical people who love to share their skills with new team members. People from all around the world have joined us, creating an open-minded and diverse team spirit. We also value and want to make strides towards equality/diversity across the company - including in leadership position - and strongly encourage women candidates to apply. All of us are dedicated to creating superior photonic products to solve hard problems in the field of communication as a big team effort.

We offer a variety of benefits to create a positive experience at work, and enable a healthy and enjoyable work-life balance.

• ZVV (Zürich region) annual transport pass and Halbtax
• 2 additional parental leave weeks,
• Flexible hours and hybrid work possibilities,
• On-site fitness room, canteen, and top quality espresso machine,
• and a lot of fun team events!

We look forward to welcoming talented, new members to our team.

We offer a variety of benefits to create a positive experience at work and enable a healthy and enjoyable work-life balance.

• ZVV (Zürich region) annual transport pass and Halbtax
• 2 additional parental leave weeks
• Flexible hours and hybrid work possibilities, with our office in the greater Zürich area (Stäfa, ZH – a great view of the lake and summer swimming!)
• On-site fitness room, canteen, and top-quality espresso machine
• A lot of fun team events, on- and off-site.

We look forward to welcoming talented new members to our team!

Interview Process

Our recruitment process consists of three stages:

• A 30 min. phone interview with our People & Culture team member to discuss your general career motivations and for us to present Lumiphase and this role.
• A 1-1.5-hour phone interview with 1-2 members of the hiring team to deep dive into the core skills requirements.
• An on-site visit to interview and meet many members of the team that you would be working in. This often includes lunch and gives you a strong sense of the company culture and individuals.

Then, both parties take their decisions. We aim to complete all steps in one month, but also allow for modifications to ensure both sides have a full picture of the skills and culture match to take the decision in an informed way.