Compensation Overview

Lightmatter builds chips for artificial intelligence computing that leverage unique properties of light for efficient computing and communications. If you’re a collaborative engineer or scientist who has a passion for innovation, solving challenging technical problems and doing impactful work...work like building the world’s first optical computers, consider joining the team at Lightmatter!

We are hiring a Principal Laser Architect. The selected candidate will partner with external facing teams at Lightmatter and the internal engineering team to deliver groundbreaking products to the market. As a laser architect, you will design laser systems and provide detailed technical documents that describe our lasers. This will require a solid understanding of process technology, state-of-the-art in laser design, and clear communication skills. You will represent the company externally at technical conferences as an example of our technical leadership.

We are seeking a motivated and dedicated hands-on Laser Architect to help develop next-generation lasers for our ground-breaking optical communication fabric alongside a team of world-class scientists and engineers. In this role, you will be defining the laser architecture for a photonic-based communication fabric. From component-level design to top-level layout, you will be part of a team that enables high-bandwidth low-latency photonic interconnect/switch fabric.

This is a high-visibility role. You will also work closely with our photonic, analog, and packaging teams to define and optimize the features needed to improve the power, performance, and area (PPA) of the next generation product. We are particularly looking for someone with expertise in laser cavity design, gain materials, and semiconductor optical amplifier technology.

Join a tight-knit team where each individual’s contributions directly influence the success of the company and product. You’ll have the opportunity to build a new kind of computer from the ground up and to solve groundbreaking challenges along the way. Work with people who love to build and who thrive in technically diverse environments where great ideas are prioritized.

Position Location: Mountain View, CA or Boston, MA

Key Responsibilities:

• Propose innovative laser and amplifier solutions for the product.
• Work closely with the photonic engineering team to provide the performance, power, and area estimates for lasers and amplifiers within Passage.
• Actively collaborate with the analog engineering team to provide a laser control and stabilization solution.
• Along with the packaging engineering team, co-develop a packaging and scale-out plan for Lightmatter’s laser solution.
• Along with the rest of the architecture team, own the photonic architecture for Lightmatter’s Passage product. Author, review, and validate architectural specifications.
• Identify possible pitfalls or difficulties, as well as mitigation strategies, around the execution of the proposed architecture.

• PhD in electrical engineering, physics, applied physics, or a discipline related to photonics
• 5+ years of in-depth knowledge of semiconductor gain/laser technology and semiconductor physics
• Demonstrated track record of ownership of integrated laser development
• Ability and desire to collaborate in cross-disciplinary team
• Demonstrated strong problem solving skills specifically pertaining to problems that do not have obvious solutions

Professional and Cultural Characteristics

• A culture champion for Lightmatter, aligns with the company’s light-hearted culture
• Willing and able to learn quickly. Self-starter with a “no task is too big or small” attitude
• Collaborates well with others regardless of discipline
• Innovative and flexible; realizes that a one-size-fits-all approach will not always solve the problem at hand
• Data-driven and analytical; translates numbers into actionable strategies
• Process-oriented and programmatic: builds structure through processes that can be relied upon across the organization

• 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

Base Compensation Range: $190,000 to $240,000. In accordance with the Colorado, California and New York law, the range provided is Lightmatter’s reasonable estimate of the compensation for this role. Actual pay will be based on several factors including work experience, location and education.

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.