Summary:
Initiates the design, development, execution and implementation of technology research projects. Investigates the feasibility of applying scientific principles and concepts to potential inventions and products. Plans and executes applied research. Maintains substantial knowledge of state-of-the-art principles and theories, and may contribute to scientific literature and conferences. May participate in development of patent applications. May coordinate interdepartmental activities and research efforts.Duties & Responsibilities:
About the Role
VIAVI is seeking an experienced Staff Engineer, Silicon Photonics & Optical Systems to join our CTO Innovation Center in Singapore. This role focuses on developing next-generation silicon photonics technologies, advanced optical components, and innovative test and measurement solutions supporting AI data centers, high-speed optical transport, coherent communications, and future telecommunications networks.
The successful candidate will help define the next generation of optical technologies while developing advanced validation methodologies for integrated photonic devices, optical modules, transceivers, and high-speed interconnects. Working across research, product engineering, and strategic technology initiatives, you will help expand VIAVI’s leadership in optical innovation while enabling our customers to confidently deploy increasingly complex optical networks.
This position offers a unique opportunity to work at the intersection of photonic device innovation, optical system design, advanced test automation, AI-assisted characterization, and future network architectures.
Key Responsibilities
- Design, develop, and evaluate next-generation silicon photonic devices, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), optical engines, and advanced optical interconnect technologies.
- Lead research and development activities in silicon photonics, coherent optics, co-packaged optics (CPO), linear pluggable optics (LPO), optical I/O, and emerging AI data center optical architectures.
- Develop advanced optical characterization methodologies for photonic components, integrated optical modules, coherent transceivers, lasers, modulators, detectors, optical switches, and passive photonic devices.
- Design innovative laboratory validation platforms and automated optical test solutions supporting both product development and manufacturing.
- Develop AI-assisted optical measurement techniques that improve characterization speed, accuracy, and predictive quality analysis.
- Support optical component qualification, reliability analysis, environmental stress testing, and production yield optimization.
- Partner with semiconductor foundries, optical component manufacturers, and strategic ecosystem partners to accelerate technology commercialization.
- Contribute to future technology roadmaps spanning telecommunications, AI infrastructure, hyperscale data centers, quantum networking, and emerging photonic computing platforms.
- Drive innovation through patents, technical publications, industry standards participation, and collaborative research programs.
Pre-Requisites / Skills / Experience Requirements:
Required Qualifications
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline.
- Strong understanding of silicon photonics, integrated photonic circuits, optical communications, and photonic device physics.
- Hands-on experience designing, characterizing, or validating optical components and integrated photonic systems.
- Experience with laboratory optical measurement equipment such as optical spectrum analyzers (OSA), vector network analyzers (VNA), bit error rate testers (BERT), optical power meters, tunable lasers, coherent receivers, sampling oscilloscopes, and high-speed optical instrumentation.
- Experience developing automated laboratory test environments using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or equivalent software tools.
- Strong analytical, experimental, and troubleshooting skills with the ability to translate research concepts into practical engineering solutions.
- Excellent communication skills and the ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering organizations.
Preferred Experience
- Experience with co-packaged optics (CPO), linear pluggable optics (LPO), coherent optical communications, or optical interconnect technologies for AI infrastructure.
- Familiarity with photonic integrated circuit (PIC) design platforms and Process Design Kits (PDKs).
- Experience with optical packaging, fiber attach, wafer-level testing, advanced photonic assembly, or semiconductor manufacturing processes.
- Knowledge of hyperscale data center optical architectures and high-speed Ethernet technologies (400G, 800G, 1.6T and beyond).
- Experience in optical manufacturing test, production automation, design-for-testability (DFT), or high-volume manufacturing validation.
- Familiarity with AI and machine learning techniques applied to optical characterization, predictive maintenance, or manufacturing analytics.
- Experience contributing to industry standards organizations, technical publications, or patented innovations in photonics or optical communications.
Skills Required
- MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, or a closely related discipline
- Strong understanding of silicon photonics, integrated photonic circuits, optical communications, and photonic device physics
- Hands-on experience designing, characterizing, or validating optical components and integrated photonic systems
- Experience with optical spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers, bit error rate testers, optical power meters, tunable lasers, coherent receivers, sampling oscilloscopes, and high-speed optical instrumentation
- Experience developing automated laboratory test environments using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or equivalent software tools
- Strong analytical, experimental, and troubleshooting skills
- Excellent communication skills and ability to collaborate across multidisciplinary engineering organizations
- Experience with co-packaged optics, linear pluggable optics, coherent optical communications, or optical interconnect technologies for AI infrastructure
- Familiarity with photonic integrated circuit design platforms and Process Design Kits
- Experience with optical packaging, fiber attach, wafer-level testing, advanced photonic assembly, or semiconductor manufacturing processes
- Knowledge of hyperscale data center optical architectures and high-speed Ethernet technologies
- Experience in optical manufacturing test, production automation, design-for-testability, or high-volume manufacturing validation
- Familiarity with AI and machine learning techniques applied to optical characterization, predictive maintenance, or manufacturing analytics
- Experience contributing to industry standards organizations, technical publications, or patented innovations in photonics or optical communications
VIAVI Solutions Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about VIAVI Solutions and has not been reviewed or approved by VIAVI Solutions.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Time off options are described as generous, including paid time off with flexible scheduling and work-from-home arrangements. Feedback suggests some teams implement unlimited or discretionary PTO and respect balance through flexible start times.
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Healthcare Strength — Health coverage is portrayed as comprehensive, spanning medical, dental, vision, life, disability, wellness initiatives, annual health exams, and emergency medical coverage for travel. Strong medical allowances and an employee assistance program further reinforce perceived coverage depth.
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Strong & Reliable Incentives — Incentive programs are highlighted through variable pay and bonus structures that can augment base pay. Feedback suggests twice-yearly bonuses may occur when company performance supports it.
VIAVI Solutions Insights
What We Do
VIAVI Solutions (NASDAQ: VIAV) is a global leader in both network and service enablement and optical security performance products and solutions. Our technologies contribute to the success of a wide range of customers – from the world’s largest mobile operators and governmental entities to enterprise network and application providers to contractors laying the fiber and building the towers that keep us connected
