Staff Photonics Design & PDK Modeling Engineer

Location: Boston, MA; Mountain View, CA; or Toronto, ON. Flexible hybrid workplace model.

Salary: $185,000–$220,000 USD per year, plus equity and other rewards.

Company

hirify.global develops photonics-based infrastructure for AI and high-performance computing data centers, including 3D-stacked photonics engines for connecting large numbers of processors.

What you will do

• Develop and maintain Python-based photonic PDK component libraries and ensure synchronization between physical layouts, logical netlists, and behavioral models.
• Create and verify physics-based behavioral models for active and passive photonic devices.
• Design test structures and plans for device figure-of-merit extraction, working with test engineers to obtain silicon data.
• Validate models against laboratory measurements through data fitting and statistical analysis.
• Implement regression testing and CI pipelines to protect legacy designs and connectivity logic during PDK updates.
• Collaborate with design, analog, digital, and architecture engineers on high-impact photonic tape-outs.

Requirements

• Master’s degree with 5+ years of experience or PhD with 3+ years of experience in electrical engineering, photonics, physics, or a related field.
• Deep understanding of photonic device physics and experience with device simulation.
• Experience building behavioral models for circuit simulators such as Lumerical INTERCONNECT, Cadence, Synopsys OptSim, or custom Python solvers.
• Strong Python experience for modeling, automation, and data analysis, including object-oriented programming and scientific libraries such as NumPy and SciPy.
• Experience with Python-based layout workflows and strong problem-solving skills for complex, open-ended problems.

Nice to have

• Experience with gdstk, GDSFactory, KLayout, SAX, Photontorch, or Simphony.
• Experience with Verilog-A, Spectre, or equivalent photonic circuit modeling.
• Experience using foundry-provided PDKs, design rules, DRC, LVS, and Cadence Virtuoso.
• Experience taping out and testing large-scale photonic integrated circuits and using relevant testing equipment.
• Strong project execution skills across multiple design priorities and critical milestones.

Culture & Benefits

• Flexible hybrid workplace model.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Retirement savings matching, life insurance, disability coverage, and paid family leave.
• Vacation, sick leave, public holidays, commuter benefits, and training and development support.
• Equity grants for full-time employees.
• Export-control compliance is required under applicable U.S. federal regulations.