Photonic Design Engineer

We’re looking for a Photonic Design Engineer with hands-on experience in integrated photonics to design, simulate, and deliver manufacturable photonic circuits.

Our client is a semiconductor startup specializing in integrated photonics for free-space optical communications. Based in Málaga, the company develops disruptive, SWaP-optimized (Size, Weight, and Power) technologies for secure, high-efficiency telecommunications and defense applications.

Their team brings together experts in physics, semiconductor engineering, and photonics to develop scalable, high-performance optical systems for next-generation communication and sensing applications.

What you’ll do:

• Design and optimize photonic components (waveguides, modulators, couplers, filters)

• Run simulations (EME, FDTD, FEM) and validate device performance

• Work with foundry PDKs and ensure DRC compliance

• Develop PIC layouts and contribute to design reviews

• Collaborate with fabrication and test teams to ensure design-for-manufacturability

• Support device characterization and correlate measurement results with simulations

What we’re looking for:

• Minimum 2+ years of industry experience in photonic integrated circuit design

• Postdoctoral research experience in photonics or a related field (preferred)

• Experience designing photonic integrated circuits

• Hands-on experience with photonic foundries and fabrication processes

• Experience working within a photonic design team

• Strong understanding of optical device physics and waveguide design

• Experience with tools such as Lumerical, IPKISS, GDSFactory, KLayout (or similar)

• Experience with high-speed or RF photonics is a plus

Education:

• At least a Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field

• Preferred Master’s degree in a relevant discipline

• Bonus: PhD in Photonics, Optics, or a related field

Location:

Full-time onsite in Málaga, Spain

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Nozipho Mbatha