Principal Fiber Optic Hardware Systems Engineer

Lightmatter builds chips for artificial intelligence computing. Our architecture leverages unique properties of light to enable fast and efficient inference and training engines.

If you're a collaborative engineer or scientist who has a passion for innovation, solving challenging technical problems, and doing impactful work like building the world's first optical computers, consider joining the team at Lightmatter!

The following information provides an overview of the skills, qualities, and qualifications needed for this role.

We are looking for a talented engineer to provide technical leadership to the Hardware Systems organization to help us build the next generation of silicon photonics based artificial intelligence accelerators and interconnect products.

As a Systems Hardware and Fiber Optic Architect / Technical Lead, you will be responsible for delivering board and system solutions using Lightmatter’s innovative technology to create state-of-the-art machine learning / artificial intelligence or massive scale-out interconnect platforms.

You will work closely with our hardware and software teams, including mechanical, packaging, and IC engineering, to design and build leading-edge system-level products.

You will drive the system solutions space for fiber optic deployment, defining fiber interconnect architectures.

The ideal candidate must have curiosity about data center infrastructure and build-out, which is essential, and have a strong understanding of fiber optics.

Familiarity with fiber optic technologies from other industries is valuable, as it provides a foundation for working with fiber optics in emerging data center environments.

The ideal candidate should be able to integrate their expertise in fiber optics with data center operations to develop effective strategies for Lightmatter's needs.

Responsibilities :

• Design and develop fiber-optic and electrical architecture for data center equipment and their hardware systems. Determines and communicates design approaches and parameters.
• Perform insertion loss and return loss measurements on fiber-optic interconnects before, during, and after.
• Develop new fiber optic prototypes and products according to customer requirements.
• Create technical documentation such as datasheets, BOMs, and drawings for new product release by customers or regulatory authorities.
• Design and implementation of new fiber optic cable products, including development of materials, physical construction, and process optimization in collaboration with other groups.
• Develop cable test plans, analyze the data, and create test reports.
• Provide technical leadership of the System Design projects, attending meetings, providing cross-functional information, and driving solutions.
• Perform feature and cost trade-off analysis.
• Review board and system designs to understand technical challenges and overall status in all facets of the system designs including electrical, mechanical, and thermal.
• Communicate with other team Technical Leads to ensure dependencies are understood and milestones are met.
• Ensure the board and system is manufacturable to the latest technologies with high yield and robustness.
• Manage and work with component vendors and other supply partners.
• Research new components, processes, and technologies to meet product goals.
• Become subject matter expert for fiber-optic connectivity products.
• Communicate customer expectations and provide project status updates to sales.
• Identify opportunities for improvement(s) of new and existing products.
• Comply with quality system and industry requirements by studying existing and new changes to hardware and networking platforms.
• Work with supply chain and manufacturing departments to ensure designs are cost effective and designed for manufacturability.

Minimum Qualifications :

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering or similar discipline with at least 12 years of relevant experience, or equivalent experience.
• Must have experience in electrical board design, having successfully taken several products from concept to production.
• In-depth knowledge on VRMs, high speed SERDES, CPUs and various interfaces / protocols such as PCIe, Ethernet, QSPI, I3C, I2C, etc.
• Exhibiting a thorough understanding of the telecom field and telecom engineering providing system level designing and planning of physical plant and network.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Previous experience as a Hardware and Fiber Optic Architect.
• Knowledge of single-mode and polarization maintaining fiber.
• Demonstrating knowledge of the capabilities and costs of fiber-optic communication interfaces.
• Good communication and verbal skills.

Benefits :

• Comprehensive health care plan (Medical, Dental & Vision).
• 401k matching.
• Life insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D).
• Generous time off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays).
• Paid family leave.
• Short term & long term disability.
• Training & development.
• Flexible, hybrid workplace model.
• Stock option plan.

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role, inclusive of all US locations, is $163,000 - $265,000.

Your base salary will be determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data.

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.

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