Silicon Photonic IC (PIC) Design Engineer
Company: Phizenix
Location: Santa Clara
Posted on: February 16, 2026
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Job Description:
Job Description Job Description About the Role We are seeking a
highly skilled Silicon Photonic IC Design Engineer to play a key
role in the design and physical layout of advanced Silicon Photonic
Integrated Circuits (PICs) that interface directly with custom
ASICs built on leading-edge semiconductor process nodes. This
position offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of
photonics, analog, and digital design — helping to define and
deliver next-generation optical and electronic systems. Key
Responsibilities Contribute to the design and physical layout of
complex Silicon Photonic ICs (PICs) that connect directly with
advanced ASICs. Participate in all stages of PIC delivery — from
floor planning and block placement to micro-architecture,
optical/electrical routing , and back-end verification (DRC/LVS).
Collaborate with analog, digital, and packaging teams to ensure
optimal design outcomes that meet requirements for opto-electronic
performance , signal integrity (SI) , and power integrity (PI) .
Work closely with other photonics engineers to refine layout
methodologies , improve design automation, and enhance existing
software-based verification and layout flows . Qualifications
Specialized Skills Strong understanding of photonics fundamentals
and core engineering design principles . Hands-on experience with
Silicon Photonics Process Design Kits (PDKs) and best practices for
designing and laying out photonic components, subsystems, and
complete PICs. Proficiency with physical design tools such as
Cadence, Siemens Mentor, or Klayout , including scripting and
automation using SKILL or Python . Familiarity with layout
verification tools (e.g., Calibre, Pegasus) for DRC, ERC, and LVS
checks. Experience with SI and PI-aware electrical routing for
mixed-signal and digital designs is a strong advantage. Education
Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field with a
focus on integrated photonics or optical device design. Preferred
Attributes Highly self-motivated with a proactive approach to
problem-solving. Creative thinker with strong attention to detail.
Thrives in a collaborative and fast-paced environment . Excellent
written and verbal communication skills . California Pay Range
$185,000—$225,000 USD
Keywords: Phizenix, Novato , Silicon Photonic IC (PIC) Design Engineer, Engineering , Santa Clara, California
