At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead physical verification and design enablement for cutting-edge photonics technology.
- Company: Join HyperLight, a pioneering company in integrated photonics with a collaborative culture.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, comprehensive health coverage, 401(k) matching, and professional growth opportunities.
- Other info: Remote work available with occasional travel; equal opportunity employer committed to inclusivity.
- Why this job: Make an impact in advanced technology while working with a supportive and innovative team.
- Qualifications: 6+ years of experience or advanced degree in relevant fields; strong communication skills required.
The predicted salary is between 135000 - 247500 £ per year.
Hyper Light is at the forefront of the commercialization of thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN) integrated photonics — a material and process technology that is enabling high-performance, scalable optical components across AI/datacom infrastructure, hyperscale computing, quantum computing, sensing, and beyond.
Founded in 2018 and backed by leading venture capital, we’ve built a team and a platform focused on real-world mass deployment of TFLN photonics technology.
At the core of our work is the TFLN Chiplet™ platform: a modular architecture designed for scalability, manufacturability, and integration into complex systems.
We partner with our customers and suppliers from concept and prototyping through mass production.
We believe in integrity, innovation, collaboration, and pragmatic solutions, and we take pride in tackling hard problems with curiosity, humility, and a deep sense of care for one another.
- Our growing team is looking for a
- Senior/Staff
Physical Verification and PDK Engineer to own physical verification and design enablement for our most advanced heterogeneous integration program.
You will be responsible for managing design tradeoffs and enablement across multiple material platforms and building your work into a full PDK.
Photonics, TFLN, and electro-optic device experience are not required.
We have deep in-house expertise and will teach you.
We are hiring specifically for commercial physical verification and design enablement skills, and we welcome strong candidates from an electronic IC background.
As part of your responsibilities, you will
- Either 6+ years of relevant work experience or equivalent experience through an advanced degree (M.
S. or Ph.
D.) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- Own physical verification for our TFLN-on-silicon-photonics stack, including deck architecture, partitioning, hierarchy and runtime, results triage, and waiver workflow.
- Stand up and run DRC and LVS signoff using tools such as Synopsys IC Validator and Siemens Calibre.
- Lead Hyper Light’s internal and cross-platform design rule checks for this platform.
- Own our heterogeneous PDK end to end — architecture, model integration, release and qualification criteria, documentation, and support.
- Serve as Hyper Light’s primary technical interface to foundry and customer verification teams on rule interpretation, waivers, and deck issues.
- Support active tapeouts on this program.
- Serve as a technical expert within Hyper Light to guide our engineering decisions and technical roadmap.
- Either 6+ years of relevant work experience or equivalent experience through an advanced degree (M.
S. or Ph.
D.) in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- Hands-on experience authoring and debugging production DRC and LVS rule decks in IC Validator, Calibre, or Pegasus — not only running decks written by others.
- Familiarity with Cadence Virtuoso or comparable commercial layout and PDK environments, including techfiles, PCells, compact models, and scripting (e. g., SKILL).
- Demonstrated ability to communicate professionally and effectively with foundry and customer engineering teams, including holding a technical position under pressure.
- PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS
- Experience developing, releasing, and supporting PDKs used by external customers.
- Experience with physical verification of multi-die, 2.5D, or 3D integrated products, including interface and assembly-level checks.
- Experience with advanced-node or advanced-packaging foundry flows and design enablement.
- Experience hiring and/or growing engineers and owning a broad technical scope.
- Competitive market-based compensation (Salary range $150,000–$225,000 per year)
- Comprehensive health coverage, including medical, vision, and dental plans for individuals and families
- 401(k) retirement plans with employee matching
- Paid parental leave
- Life and disability insurance
- Commuter benefits and subsidies
- Professional growth and mentorship opportunities
This role can be performed remotely from within the US, with periodic travel to our Cambridge, MA office; candidates local to the Boston area are welcome to work onsite.
Authorization to work in the US is required.
Hyper Light is an equal opportunity employer.
All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race , color , religion , sex , sexual orientation , gender identity , national origin , veteran or disability status.
Hyper Light is committed to providing reasonable accommodations to individuals with disabilities during our hiring process.
If you need assistance or an accommodation, please contact us at HR@hyperlightcorp. com.
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Senior/Staff Physical Verification and PDK Engineer in Cambridge employer: HyperLight
At HyperLight, we pride ourselves on being at the cutting edge of integrated photonics technology, offering a dynamic and collaborative work environment that fosters innovation and integrity. Our commitment to employee growth is evident through comprehensive health benefits, competitive compensation, and mentorship opportunities, all while working alongside a diverse team dedicated to making a real-world impact in advanced communication systems. Join us at our headquarters to be part of a mission-driven company where your contributions will help shape the future of technology.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Senior/Staff Physical Verification and PDK Engineer in Cambridge
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We think you need these skills to ace Senior/Staff Physical Verification and PDK Engineer in Cambridge
Some tips for your application 🫡
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Focus on Results and Impact:In the engineering world, we love numbers and real-world impact. Quantify your achievements wherever possible—like reducing costs by a certain percentage, improving efficiency, or successfully completing a project ahead of schedule. This gives your future employers at HyperLight a clear picture of the value you can bring.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to express your passion for engineering and explain why you’re drawn to HyperLight specifically. Share what aspects of their work excite you and how your values align with theirs. This is your chance to show a bit of personality while keeping it professional!
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How to prepare for a job interview at HyperLight
✨Brush Up on Core Engineering Principles
Before heading into the interview with HyperLight, make sure you're solid on the fundamental engineering principles relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss concepts such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, or structural analysis, depending on the specifics mentioned in the job description. Don’t skip any hands-on projects or coursework; these can be excellent talking points!
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
Expect technical questions or case studies during your interview—after all, engineering is all about solving problems! Prepare a few examples of how you've tackled engineering challenges in the past, whether at university or in any practical experience. Practising with mock technical interviews can really help you articulate your thought process and solutions.
✨Relate Your Experience to the Role
In a full-time role, employers like HyperLight want to see that you can adapt and grow within their team. Be ready to discuss how your previous internships, projects, or studies relate directly to the work you'll be doing. Highlight specific experiences that showcase your collaborative skills and how you've successfully worked within a team environment.
✨Know Your Tools and Software
Most engineering roles require familiarity with specific tools and software. Prepare to talk about your proficiency with programmes like AutoCAD, MATLAB, or SolidWorks if they’re relevant to the role. Even better, have examples of projects where you’ve used these tools, as it'll demonstrate your hands-on experience and readiness for the job.
