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Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light, delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and high-performance computing.
As Senior Integrated Photonics Packaging Engineer, you will sit at the heart of Q.ANT's photonic hardware R&D. You will research, develop, and demonstrate novel electrical and optical packaging concepts that bring photonic integrated circuits (PICs) to their full performance potential. Rather than managing external suppliers, you will own hands-on development of packaging architectures end-to-end—from first-principles design through prototyping, benchtop characterization, and validation. By bridging optical, electrical, and thermal domains, you will directly shape the performance, integrability, and scalability of PIC-based systems.
Key Responsibilities:
- Drive packaging innovation: conceive, build, and experimentally validate novel packaging prototypes and assembly methods for co-integration of PICs with light sources, photodetectors, and high-speed analog electronics.
- Lead packaging R&D workstreams end-to-end from concept definition and experiment design to hands-on benchtop testing and documented knowledge transfer.
- Solve first-principles engineering challenges: define packaging requirements and solve complex optical coupling, RF/microwave signal integrity, and thermal management challenges.
- Design, build, and measure advanced optical coupling schemes (edge coupling, grating coupling, lensed fiber, micro-lens arrays).
- Partner closely with PIC designers, systems engineers, and electronics teams to ensure packaging architectures are co-designed with device- and system-level constraints.
- Document process recipes, assembly procedures, design rules, and tolerance budgets to enable manufacturability assessments, repeatability, and IP generation.
- Coordinate with external partners and suppliers for specialized materials or fabrication capabilities as the technical lead who specifies and validates.
- Mentor junior engineers and contribute to shaping the team's overall packaging R&D roadmap.
You will have broad autonomy and decision authority with direct impact on product success, packaging baselines, and overall PIC module quality. You will work on challenges with few industry precedents—every problem solved becomes new institutional knowledge and potentially industry-defining IP. You will collaborate alongside a passionate, international, cross-functional team of experts in photonics, processor design, and AI systems, with direct access to leadership within a transparent and fast-moving structure.
REQUIREMENTS:
- Master's or Ph.D. in Photonics, Optoelectronics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or related field (Ph.D. with experimental packaging or integration focus strongly preferred).
- 5+ years of hands-on R&D experience in photonic/optoelectronic packaging, hybrid integration, or high-density interconnect development within a research institution, deep-tech startup, or advanced R&D environment.
- Demonstrated expertise in optical coupling design and characterization, RF/microwave signal integrity, and thermal management for integrated photonic systems.
- Proficiency with optical and electrical simulation tools (e.g., optical design software, HFSS, thermal FEA).
- Hands-on laboratory skills: optical alignment, fiber coupling, microwave measurements, thermal imaging, and benchtop prototyping.
- Strong problem-solving mindset with ability to work from first principles and drive solutions end-to-end.
- Excellent communication and documentation skills; ability to translate technical work into institutional knowledge and design rules.
- Experience mentoring junior engineers and contributing to technical roadmap development is a plus.
