Principal Packaging Engineer, Optical Interfaces

Key Responsibilities Process Design & Development:

Design and develop robust, high-yield processes for active and passive optical interfaces to photonic integrated circuits (PICs).

Specialize in using advanced methods to achieve stable and reliable fiber coupling. This includes selecting appropriate materials and controlling critical parameters.

Collaborate with IC and mechanical design teams to define and create structures that minimize stress, ensure thermal stability, and enhance the overall reliability of the package.

Manufacturing & Collaboration:

Act as the key technical interface with our contract manufacturing partners, coordinating process design, implementation, and characterization to ensure a smooth transition from development to high-volume production.

Define and manage critical process controls, alignment tolerances, and metrology methods to ensure consistent, high-performance output in a manufacturing environment.

Conduct in-depth analysis of assembly and packaging yield data to drive continuous process improvement.

Reliability & Performance:

Define and implement test methodologies to characterize the reliability of packaged devices under various environmental and mechanical stresses.

Analyze reliability data to identify potential failure modes and work with design teams to implement corrective actions.

Utilize your understanding of thermal, modal, and stress/strain principles to predict and mitigate reliability risks associated with packaging.

Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, Optical Engineering, or a related field.

10+ years of hands-on experience in packaging design for optical or photonic components.

Direct experience with PIC optical edge coupling and associated challenges, including proficiency with active and passive alignment techniques.

Direct product development and introduction experience involving edge coupling.

In-depth knowledge of packaging materials, including optical adhesives and epoxies, and their design constraints, and how to use them in a high reliability application.

Proven ability to work with contract manufacturers to design, implement, and ramp packaging processes to volume production.

A strong understanding of reliability engineering principles, including failure mechanisms related to packaging, and experience with relevant testing standards (e.g., Telcordia).

Experience with CAD tools for mechanical design and packaging layouts.

Preferred Skills Familiarity with various waveguide technologies and their impact on packaging design.

Knowledge of semiconductor fabrication processes and their constraints on packaging.

Experience with Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software for stress, thermal, or modal simulations.

Excellent problem-solving skills and a track record of driving complex technical challenges from concept to solution.

Strong communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across interdisciplinary teams.