Reliability Engineer (Hardware)

Posted 6 Days Ago
Be an Early Applicant
Mountain View, CA, USA
In-Office
142K-200K Annually
Senior level
Artificial Intelligence • Hardware • Machine Learning • Software
We’re Lightmatter, the photonic (super)computer company.
The Role
Design, execute, and analyze reliability tests for photonics and semiconductor products. Develop test plans, perform FMEA and root-cause analysis, model reliability statistically, and drive cross-functional improvements to meet durability and compliance targets.
Summary Generated by Built In

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!

In this role you will be responsible for designing, executing, and analyzing reliability tests to verify product performance, durability, and compliance with standards. You will enable our products to meet or exceed reliability requirements throughout their lifecycle by developing robust test protocols, analyzing failures, and working with cross-functional teams to drive improvements in design and manufacturing processes.

Responsibilities

  • Develop reliability test plans based on product requirements, industry standards, and customer expectations.
  • Execute reliability qualification testing for our highly integrated photonics-based AI platform and our photonics chiplet communication fabric products.
  • Conduct Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to identify and mitigate potential reliability risks in device design and manufacturing.
  • Perform detailed root cause analysis of device failures, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to resolve reliability issues, refine product designs, and improve process robustness.
  • Establish internal reliability guidelines and standards to meet customer requirements and industry benchmarks.
  • Utilize statistical analysis tools to model reliability performance and predict device lifetimes under field conditions.
  • Prepare and present detailed technical reports, including reliability test plans, results, and risk assessments, to internal and external stakeholders.

Qualifications 

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a similar field
  • 5+ years of industry experience working as a Reliability Engineer within the semiconductor and/or photonics industry.
  • Understanding of device and package reliability testing methodologies, including HTOL, HAST, TDDB, HTHH, TC etc.
  • Hands-on experience with failure analysis tools and techniques such as SEM, TEM, FIB, and EMMI etc.
  • Knowledge of device physics, reliability and failure mechanism in Serdes/digital/mixed signal IC’s.
  • Good understanding of packaging failure mechanisms and risks on TSV, solder joints, warpage, metal migrations etc.
  • Familiarity with reliability modeling tools and statistical analysis (e.g., Weibull analysis, Minitab, JMP).

Preferred Qualification:

  • Preferably experienced in semiconductor or photonics device/module testing.
  • Experience with advanced packaging technologies such as flip-chip, wafer-level packaging, or 3D integration.
  • Good statistical data analysis skills to analyze pre vs post reliability data.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to convey complex reliability concepts to diverse audiences.
  • PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a similar field , working as a Reliability Engineer for at least 1 year

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution.
$142,000$200,000 USD
Benefits
  • 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

  • Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or a similar field
  • 5+ years of industry experience working as a Reliability Engineer within the semiconductor and/or photonics industry
  • Understanding of device and package reliability testing methodologies (HTOL, HAST, TDDB, HTHH, TC)
  • Hands-on experience with failure analysis tools and techniques such as SEM, TEM, FIB, and EMMI
  • Knowledge of device physics, reliability and failure mechanisms in Serdes/digital/mixed signal ICs
  • Good understanding of packaging failure mechanisms and risks (TSV, solder joints, warpage, metal migrations)
  • Familiarity with reliability modeling tools and statistical analysis (Weibull analysis, Minitab, JMP)
  • Ability to comply with U.S. export control laws
  • Experience in semiconductor or photonics device/module testing
  • Experience with advanced packaging technologies such as flip-chip, wafer-level packaging, or 3D integration
  • Good statistical data analysis skills to analyze pre vs post reliability data
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills
  • PhD in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering or similar, with at least 1 year working as a Reliability Engineer

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.

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The Company
HQ: Boston, MA
105 Employees
Year Founded: 2017

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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