Senior Optical Transceiver R&D Engineer
Description
HyperLight 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.
Our growing team is looking for a hands-on Transceiver R&D Engineer to own the design, characterization, and qualification of advanced optical transceiver reference designs. You'll work across firmware, DSP, optics, and hardware to ensure our QSFP/OSFP-based transceivers meet performance and interoperability requirements.
As part of your responsibilities, you will be:
- Define and execute test plans for optical transceivers (IMDD and/or coherent)
- Characterize transceiver performance for >1.6T modules — BER, eye diagrams, SNR, OSNR, TDECQ, OER, OMA, receiver sensitivity, latency, and more
- Validate TFLN modulator-based transceivers across electrical, optical, and thermal domains
- Bring up and debug QSFP/OSFP transceiver modules
- Collaborate with firmware and DSP teams to tune system performance
- Support compliance testing (IEEE, OIF, CMIS)
- Analyze failures, drive root-cause resolution, and recommend design improvements
Requirements:
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field
- 5 to 12+ years of relevant experience in high-speed optical transceiver testing and/or design (>400 Gbps)
- Experience with Datacom and/or Telecom transceivers
- Hands-on experience with QSFP and OSFP form factors
- Solid understanding of PAM4, TDECQ, BER, OSNR, jitter, eye diagrams, and receiver sensitivity
- Proficiency with lab equipment — oscilloscope, DCA, BERT, OSA, VNA, etc.
- Strong debugging skills and a methodical approach to troubleshooting
- Clear communicator, able to articulate issues and solutions across teams
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with TFLN, silicon photonics, or other advanced modulator technologies
- Familiarity with PAM4, coherent detection, and DSP-based systems
- Experience with thermal and reliability testing
- Experience building semi-automated test systems
- Familiarity with the OSFP/QSFP MSA specifications
Key Skills
- Circuit design & characterization
- Signal integrity (electrical + optical)
- Debugging & product bring-up
- Data analysis
- Cross-functional collaboration
What Success Looks Like
- Transceivers brought up and validated to meet spec under real-world conditions
- Issues identified and resolved early, with clear root-cause analysis and improvement plans
- Customers empowered to optimize performance on our modules
- Measurable performance gains delivered for 1.6T+ systems
Benefits
- Competitive market-based compensation and benefits
- Professional growth and mentorship opportunities