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Lightmatter

Electro-Optic Link Hardware Engineer

Mountain View, CA
Salary
$155,000 - $190,000
Level
Mid

Not stated in the posting: work type, visa.

Open. First seen 3 October 2026.

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About the role

Lightmatter's standard text

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.

Lightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter!

Lightmatter's standard text

If you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders.

Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light!

We're looking for a hands-on Photonics engineer to lead verification and characterization of high-speed electro-optic links across multiple silicon and system programs. You'll work at the bench alongside the EOE team owning modeling methodology, measurement standards, and serving as the escalation point for the toughest signal integrity and link-performance problems in the org.

Responsibilities:

  • Run hands-on lab characterization and debug of high-speed electrical/optical hardware, including novel failure modes
  • Build system-level electrical/optical/EO channel models and correlate them against your own bench measurements
  • Own link budget and verification methodology while staying hands-on with the validating measurements
  • Characterize eye diagrams, BER, jitter, equalization, and channel impairments
  • Support silicon bring-up and root-cause debug with analog, package, PCB, and SerDes teams
  • Influence chip/package/system architecture tradeoffs based on bench findings
  • Mentor Senior/Staff engineers without stepping back from lab work
  • Build automation/tools to speed up characterization work

Qualifications:

  • MS/PhD in EE, Photonics, Physics (8+ yrs) or BS/MS (10+ yrs)
  • Ownership of verification strategy for a full silicon/system program
  • Deep expertise in 56G/112G/224G+ serial links, SerDes equalization (CTLE/FFE/DFE), and signal integrity (S-parameters, crosstalk, link budgets)
  • Hands-on lab experience leading investigations that stalled others
  • Strong Python/MATLAB for team-used automation frameworks
  • Proficiency with VNA, scopes, BERTs, TDRs, and tools like ADS, HFSS, Cadence, COMSOL
  • Track record mentoring engineers

Preferred Qualifications:

  • Silicon photonics/EO systems at the architecture level
  • Package/PCB/channel co-design ownership
  • COM/IBIS-AMI modeling, patents/standards contributions (OIF, IEEE 802.3)

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.

$155,000—$190,000 USD

Benefits

  • Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
  • Retirement Savings Matching Program
  • Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
  • Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
  • Paid Family Leave
  • Short Term & Long Term Disability
  • Training & Development
  • Commuter Benefits
  • Flexible, hybrid workplace model
  • Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees)

Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

Lightmatter's standard text

Export Control

Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.

What this role asks for

Particular to this role

PCB Design

Rare in Lightmatter's other 62 open postings.

In most of Lightmatter's ads

Python

Named in most of its open postings, whatever the role.

79% of this description is written for the role. The rest is Lightmatter's standard text, folded away below.

Read against Lightmatter's other open postings on this site.

The team: Photonics & Silicon Engineering HIRES STEADILY

This role is one of 16 open in Photonics & Silicon Engineering. 2 were posted in the last 30 days and the oldest in March: a team that hires all year rather than one being built.

WHAT THE TEAM WORKS WITH, ACROSS ITS POSTINGS

Python (12 of 16), Bash (3 of 16), Perl (3 of 16), React (3 of 16), Verilog (3 of 16), Embedded Systems (2 of 16), MATLAB (2 of 16)

OTHER ROLES ON THIS TEAM

From the team and dates on Lightmatter's own job board.

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