Ph.D. Intern - Silicon Photonics & Optical Communications

Location: Santa Clara, CA, United States

Salary: $37–$73 per hour

Company

hirify.global develops semiconductor solutions and optical technologies for enterprise, cloud, AI, carrier, and data infrastructure applications.

What you will do

• Design, simulate, and characterize silicon photonics components and subsystems, including modulators, photodetectors, waveguides, and optical engines.
• Develop and validate DSP algorithms for high-speed PAM4 and coherent optical links, including equalization, FEC, and signal integrity techniques.
• Model optical systems and analyze link budgets for data center interconnect, co-packaged optics, and near-packaged optics.
• Collaborate with analog IC design, packaging, and systems engineering teams on integrated transceiver solutions.
• Characterize and validate designs using high-speed test equipment, optical measurement tools, and silicon bring-up setups.
• Present research findings and design results to the engineering team as part of a structured design curriculum.

Requirements

• Currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field, with research focused on photonics, optical communications, or high-speed signal processing.
• Hands-on research experience in silicon photonics, optical transceiver systems, coherent or direct-detect optical communications, or DSP algorithm development for high-speed links.
• Strong fundamentals in photonics and electromagnetics, including waveguide theory, modulator physics, photodetector design, or optical link analysis.
• Confident and independent use of relevant simulation and modeling tools such as FDTD, MODE, Lumerical, MATLAB, or equivalent.
• Ability to communicate research findings and design tradeoffs clearly and defend technical approaches.
• Applicants must be eligible to access export-controlled information under applicable U.S. regulations; an export license review may be required.

Nice to have

• Experience with PAM4 or coherent modulation, FEC, or DSP equalization for optical links.
• Familiarity with silicon photonics fabrication and design-for-manufacturing in CMOS-compatible platforms.
• Exposure to co-packaged optics, near-packaged optics, or optical engine integration.
• Experience with high-speed optical or electrical test and measurement equipment.
• Familiarity with analog IC or mixed-signal circuits for optical transceiver front-ends.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on production silicon and optical technologies used in advanced AI infrastructure.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage for interns.
• Paid holidays, perks and discounts, and mental health resources.
• Additional compensation may be available for Ph.D. interns.
• Benefits support financial well-being, family support, health, and recognition.

Hiring process

• Research findings and design approaches are evaluated through interviews and technical discussions.
• AI tools, transcription apps, automated note-taking bots, and real-time answer generators are prohibited during interviews.