Photonics Test Automation Engineer at Monarch Quantum
Overview
Monarch Quantum seeks a Photonics Test Automation & Measurement Engineer to own hands-on characterization of photonics integrated circuits (PICs) in Boston. You will build free space and fiber-coupled optical setups, align and image modes, and develop automated test infrastructure for accurate, repeatable measurements. The role bridges bench work with Python-based automation and statistical analysis, feeding insights back to design and fabrication. This position suits an engineer who thrives on measurement, turning manual procedures into robust systems. Design experience is a plus, but the core is measurement.
What You'll Do10
- 1Characterize PICs on the bench and at wafer scale, covering passive and active devices.
- 2Build, align, and maintain free space optical setups with lenses, mirrors, beam splitters, and polarization optics for coupling light into and out of PICs.
- 3Optimize fiber-to-chip and free space-to-chip coupling using active alignment and edge/grating couplers.
- 4Image and analyze optical mode profiles with cameras and beam profilers to evaluate mode quality and coupling efficiency.
- 5Develop automated test infrastructure for optical and electrical characterization using swept lasers, power meters, OSA, VNA, real-time scopes, probe stations, and SMUs.
- 6Write Python-based test automation and data analysis pipelines, extending existing codebases.
- 7Apply statistical methods (DoE, Gage R&R, process control) to qualify test systems and ensure repeatable measurements.
- 8Analyze measurement data to validate designs, identify discrepancies, and feed learnings to the design team.
- 9Document test procedures, configurations, and results for design, fabrication, and product teams.
- 10Contribute to photonic component design and simulation using tools like Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL, or gdsfactory.
Requirements10
- 1MS or PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or related field (or equivalent industry experience).
- 2Hands-on experience measuring and characterizing photonic devices or PICs with free space and fiber-coupled setups.
- 3Practical experience building free space optical setups from opto-mechanical components, including alignment and beam steering.
- 4Experience with fiber and free space coupling techniques, including active/passive alignment to chips.
- 5Proficiency in Python for test automation and data analysis, comfortable extending existing codebases.
- 6Experience with photonic and electrical test equipment: swept lasers, fiber alignment stages, oscilloscopes, SMUs.
- 7Working knowledge of statistical analysis and test qualification methods, including wafer-scale data analysis.
- 8Experience building or extending test setup automation.
- 9Familiarity with photonic design/simulation tools (Lumerical, Tidy3D, COMSOL, gdsfactory) is a plus.
- 10Strong organizational and communication skills, able to work across design, fabrication, and test teams.
Salary Insight
$125 - $175k per year
Location
Required Skills
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