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!
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.
- 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.
Export Control
Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.
Skills Required
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, or Physics with 8 or more years of experience
- BS or MS with 10 or more years of experience
- Ownership of verification strategy for a full silicon or system program
- Deep expertise in 56G, 112G, or 224G+ serial links
- Expertise in SerDes equalization, including CTLE, FFE, and DFE
- Expertise in signal integrity, S-parameters, crosstalk, and link budgets
- Hands-on laboratory experience leading complex hardware investigations
- Strong Python and MATLAB skills for team automation frameworks
- Proficiency with VNAs, oscilloscopes, BERTs, and TDRs
- Proficiency with ADS, HFSS, Cadence, and COMSOL
- Track record of mentoring engineers
- Experience with silicon photonics or electro-optic systems at the architecture level
- Package, PCB, and channel co-design ownership
- COM or IBIS-AMI modeling experience
- Patents or standards contributions to OIF or IEEE 802.3
Lightmatter Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Lightmatter and has not been reviewed or approved by Lightmatter.
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Fair & Transparent Compensation — Pay is considered competitive for specialized photonics and AI‑hardware roles, with posted ranges and third‑party totals aligning to strong market levels. Compensation for niche roles is framed as consistent with top‑tier hardware/photonics expectations.
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Healthcare Strength — Healthcare is described as comprehensive, covering medical, dental, and vision in current postings. Additional protections like life insurance and disability are also called out.
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Equity Value & Accessibility — Equity grants for full‑time employees are commonly included alongside base pay. Some postings also mention performance‑based equity components.
Lightmatter Insights
What We Do
Lightmatter is a startup photonics company that has pioneered a new paradigm in processor chip architecture that uses photons instead of electrons. Now the leader in the photonic AI compute “space race,” this new class of high performance semiconductors is the foundation of Lightmatter’s mission to enable the growth of computing, reduce harmful emissions associated with this growth, and democratize computing for all. Lightmatter's technology accelerates critical operations in deep neural networks, using an array of programmable photonic elements fabricated alongside transistors in conventional computer chip fabrication processes. Our close-knit team of engineers has created an integrated photonics chip and ultra-high performance interconnect that is faster, more efficient, and cooler than anything else on earth (or anything ever experienced before) to power the next giant leaps in human progress.
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