PIC Design Engineer

Location: Vancouver, Canada (On-site)
Position Type: Full-Time

A well-funded deep-tech startup is developing advanced manufacturing technology for next-generation photonic systems. The company is creating innovative optical packaging and coupling solutions that improve the performance and scalability of photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for applications including AI infrastructure, high-performance computing, quantum technologies, sensing, and optical communications.

As the company scales from R&D to commercialisation, they are looking for a Photonics Engineer to develop optical simulation workflows, design photonic coupling solutions, and support the development of next-generation PIC technologies.

What You’ll Do

• Design and simulate optical coupling solutions for lasers, photonic integrated circuits (PICs), and optical fibres.
• Develop and optimise PIC layouts using industry-standard layout tools and foundry PDKs.
• Build simulation workflows for photonic device design and optimisation.
• Collaborate with optical, packaging, manufacturing and software engineers to develop manufacturable products.
• Produce technical documentation including test plans, reports and design documentation.
• Present technical progress and support product development from concept through validation.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Photonics or a related discipline.
• 3+ years of experience designing photonic components, PICs or optical systems.
• Experience with silicon photonics, lasers, optical fibres and integrated photonic devices.
• Strong Python programming skills for automation and data analysis.
• Experience using electromagnetic simulation tools (FDTD, Beam Propagation, Ray Tracing or similar).
• Experience with GDSII layout tools (e.g. KLayout, L-Edit) and photonic foundry PDKs.
• Ability to produce clear technical documentation and work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience using optical test equipment such as lasers, optical power meters and spectrum analysers.
• Knowledge of photonic packaging, hybrid integration or optical assembly.
• Experience developing simulation or design automation workflows.
• Experience supporting the transition of new technologies from R&D into commercial products.
• Previous experience within a startup, industrial R&D or research environment.

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

Oliver Logan