Senior Laser & SOA Characterization Engineer
Lightmatter · Mountain View, CA
Posted about 3 months ago
or apply directly on Lightmatter's site. We never take the application ourselves.
Is this posting real?
- This role has been open
- 81 days Lightmatter's roles stay open a median of 82 days
- Reposted
- No
- Salary listed
- No 10% of Lightmatter's roles list one
- Ghost-job risk at Lightmatter
- high 63 stale, 0 reposted of 63 open
- Hiring momentum
- 85 roles opened in the last 90 days ↑ up vs. the prior 90 days
- Last confirmed on the employer's board
- 2026-10-24
Measured from postings appearing on and disappearing from Lightmatter's own greenhouse board since 2026-08-03. Full hiring picture for Lightmatter.
About this role
As a Senior Laser & SOA Characterization Engineer at Lightmatter, you will lead the characterization and validation of semiconductor lasers and optical devices, utilizing your expertise in laser physics and hands-on lab work. Your responsibilities include developing measurement methodologies, analyzing performance metrics, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to guide device development from early samples to production. You will also mentor junior engineers and prepare technical reports to communicate findings effectively.
- benefits
- 5/5
- freshness
- 1/5
- career value
- 5/5
- role clarity
- 5/5
- pay transparency
- 0/5
Scored from the posting itself — how clearly the role is described, how much it says about pay and benefits, and how recently it was listed. Not a judgement of Lightmatter as an employer.
What you need
- PhD or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Photonics, Optics, or a related technical field
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor laser, SOA, photonics, or optical device characterization
- Strong understanding of semiconductor laser physics, optical gain, carrier dynamics, rate equations, thermal effects, feedback sensitivity, linewidth, RIN, and optical noise mechanisms
- Deep hands-on experience with optical and electro-optical lab measurements
- Strong familiarity with laser characterization metrics such as threshold current, slope efficiency, wall-plug efficiency, LIV curves, SMSR, RIN, linewidth, wavelength tuning, optical spectrum, power stability, and wavelength stability
- Strong understanding of semiconductor optical amplifiers, including gain, saturation behavior, ASE, noise, carrier dynamics, polarization dependence, wavelength dependence, and thermal effects
Nice to have
- PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, Photonics, Optics, or a related field
- Prior experience characterizing DFB lasers, DBR lasers, tunable lasers, ECLs, laser diodes, or SOAs for integrated photonics or optical communication systems
- Experience with advanced laser-noise measurements, including RIN, linewidth, phase noise, frequency noise, optical feedback sensitivity, and relaxation oscillation analysis
- Familiarity with laser and SOA modeling, including rate-equation modeling, gain modeling, thermal modeling, optical feedback analysis, and wavelength tuning behavior
- Experience using commercial or internal simulation/design tools for photonic device analysis, laser design support, or system-level optical performance modeling
What you get
- 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
Worth weighing
- No specific details on the company culture or team dynamics are provided
- The role involves significant hands-on lab work, which may not appeal to all candidates
- The salary range is broad and may depend heavily on negotiation and individual qualifications
- The position requires compliance with U.S. export control laws, which may limit candidate eligibility
Summarised from Lightmatter's posting. Read the full original.
Listed by Lightmatter on their greenhouse job board, last confirmed open on 2026-10-24. PitchMeAI is not the employer.
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