Senior Photonics Engineer

Aurora Innovation•Mountain View, CA

1d•Hybrid

About The Position

Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone. At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora, visit aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn. Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We’re searching for a Senior Photonics Engineer. Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We are searching for a Senior Photonics Engineer to join our Lidar team. You will be a key contributor responsible for the design and layout of III-V chips. This role is a unique opportunity to own the full development cycle of high-power active devices—from initial epitaxial design and foundry tape-out to data-driven performance iteration—directly impacting the future of self-driving technology.

Requirements

Education: PhD in Electrical Engineering, Solid State Physics, or Optoelectronics.
Laser Physics: Deep mastery of light-matter interaction in high-intensity fields and epitaxial design.
Design Expertise: Proven expertise in the design of high-power III-V active devices.
Simulation Suite: Proficiency in industry-standard tools including PhotonDesign, Lumerical, and RSoft.
Fabrication: Hands-on experience with process design and managing development workflows with external foundries.
Programming: High proficiency in Python for layout scripting and data automation.
Characterization: Strong background in the testing and data analysis of semiconductor lasers.

Nice To Haves

Direct industrial experience in high-power III-V active device design.
Experience working with lidar or other optical sensing systems.
Experience with photonic hybrid integration.

Responsibilities

Own III-V Layouts: Lead the design and layout of high-power active devices, specifically delivering reviewable GDS for SOA reticles.
Manage Foundry Relations: Act as the primary technical interface with foundries to execute mask delivery and track critical fabrication milestones.
Automate Data Analysis: Develop Python-based software and JMP workflows to analyze DFB and SOA test results.
Drive Design Iterations: Function as the "Owner" for SOA component iterations, correlating design changes to empirical test data.
Collaborate Cross-Functionally: Partner with Test, Packaging, and Reliability teams to integrate their feedback into design decisions.