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!
About this job
This team makes sure Lightmatter’s products hold up in the real world AI data centers. As an intern you’ll build and automate test setups, run real reliability experiments, and present your data to the engineers who design the product — mentored by our reliability and test team in the Mountain View lab.
Responsibilities:
- Perform reliability and characterization tests on photonic and electronic hardware.
- Set up test stations and write Python automation scripts and instrument drivers.
- Analyze test data and present findings to key stakeholders.
- Support failure analysis by isolating root causes and documenting results.
- Maintain test procedures and contribute to reliability reports and qualification plans.
Requirements:
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
- Basic knowledge of test automation tools, python is preferred
- Familiarity with hardware testing equipment such as oscilloscopes, multimeters, and thermal sensors
- Understanding of basic electronics, circuits, and embedded systems
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
- Ability to work in a hands-on lab environment
- Willingness and curiosity to learn from an exciting team!
Preferred Qualifications
- Coursework or projects in optics, photonics, or semiconductor devices
- Experience with instrument control protocols (SCPI, VISA, GPIB) or data-acquisition hardware
- Exposure to reliability or qualification concepts (e.g., thermal cycling, HTOL, failure analysis)
- Experience working in a lab environment
Our internship hourly rates are a standard pay determined based on the position and your location, year in school, degree, and experience.
- 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
- Currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, or a related field
- Basic knowledge of test automation tools
- Familiarity with oscilloscopes, multimeters, and thermal sensors
- Understanding of basic electronics, circuits, and embedded systems
- Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
- Ability to work in a hands-on lab environment
- Willingness and curiosity to learn
- Python experience
- Coursework or projects in optics, photonics, or semiconductor devices
- Experience with SCPI, VISA, GPIB, or data-acquisition hardware
- Exposure to reliability or qualification concepts, including thermal cycling, HTOL, or failure analysis
- Experience working in a lab environment
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
Gallery
.jpeg)
