Bring-Up Photonics Engineer

About Xscape Photonics
Xscape Photonics is helping customers escape the scaling limits of Agentic AI hardware by enabling machines to think faster. Spun out of groundbreaking silicon photonics work at Columbia University, the company has developed a scalable multi-color laser platform to solve the escape bandwidth bottlenecks limiting GPU-to-GPU and GPU-to-memory interfaces. With a leadership team having multiple decades of experience shipping photonics products and backed by investors including Nvidia and Cisco, the company has recently begun sampling its first technology validation kits and is currently engaged with pilot customers for its first product launch.

About the Role:
We are seeking a Photonics Bring-up Engineer to own the bring-up of integrated photonic devices and laser modules, from first light to characterized, production-ready hardware. In this role, the Engineer will be accountable for bring-up of silicon photonic integrated circuits (SiPh PICs) and packaged, fiber-pigtailed modules such as TOSAs, transceivers and ELSFP-form-factor modules. The Engineer will define the test strategy, procedures and automation used for bring-up. Additional responsibilities include leading root-cause analysis, deciding when hardware is ready to move forward, and working with photonics design, packaging, and firmware teams to turn test results into design and process improvements.

Key Responsibilities
Bring-up ownership
Own first-light and functional bring-up of new PICs and packaged modules (TOSA, transceivers, ELSFP-form-factor modules), from bring-up planning through full characterization.
Define bring-up plans, pass/fail criteria and readiness gates, and make the call on when a build is ready to advance.
Lead laser source characterization: output spectrum, fiber-coupled power, SMSR, LIV (threshold current, slope efficiency), and wavelength tuning vs. drive current and temperature.
Validate module-level performance, including wavelength/channel performance, power per channel and high-speed electrical interfaces.
Develop design-for-test (DFT) strategies with the design team so devices can be tested efficiently across iterations.
Author test procedures and measurement plans and evolve them as devices move from R&D to pilot and production.
Automation and data analysis
Develop and own automated measurement software in Python, LabVIEW or similar, for repeatability and throughput.
Design the data pipelines and databases that track performance across wafer lots, builds and test conditions.
Analyze results, set data-validation rules, and report findings and recommendations to design and program leads.
Debug and cross-functional collaboration
Collaborate with bring-up technicians on setups and test execution, and share best practices for fiber handling, laser safety and ESD.
Lead root-cause analysis for coupling, alignment, yield and measurement-artifact issues, and drive corrective actions with design and packaging.
Act as the test voice in design reviews with photonics design, packaging, firmware and foundry teams.
Define environmental and reliability test plans (burn-in, temperature cycling, long-duration stability) as products mature.

Required Skills & Experience:
B.S. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering, Photonics or a related field. A Ph.D. in a related field is a plus.
3+ years of hands-on experience testing silicon photonic devices and/or packaged optical modules in a lab or fab-adjacent environment, including owning bring-up of new hardware.
Strong knowledge of SiPh PICs (waveguides, MZIs, modulators, photodetectors, couplers) and CMOS-compatible photonic integration.
Track record of developing test setups, procedures and automation from scratch, not only running existing ones. Experience with grating and edge coupling, precision fiber alignment and active alignment to maximize coupling efficiency.
Familiarity with telecom-band components (isolators, circulators, WDM filters, splitters, polarization controllers) and O-band/C-band conventions.
Command of key performance metrics, such as insertion loss, extinction ratio, bandwidth, responsivity, crosstalk and SMSR, and how to trace them to design or process causes.
Proficiency in Python (preferred) or LabVIEW for instrument automation and data analysis.
Ability to read schematics and debug board-level electrical issues during bring-up.
Clear technical writing and communication.

“Nice to have” Skills & Experience:
Deep understanding of semiconductor laser physics: LIV behavior, polarization, wavelength tuning vs. current and temperature, and side-mode behavior.
Experience with advanced laser measurements such as linewidth, RIN and wavelength stability using wavelength meters or high-resolution OSAs.
Experience with module-level assembly and test: pigtailing and alignment support, TOSA or transceiver characterization, and burn-in/functional test of packaged parts.
Knowledge of RF test setups and high-speed modulator or photodiode characterization.
Exposure to environmental and reliability testing, such as burn-in, temperature cycling and long-duration stability monitoring.
Experience building relational databases or data pipelines for lot-level test data, and reporting with pandas/matplotlib or similar.
Experience leading the transition of photonic test from R&D to pilot and production, including handoff to technician or manufacturing test teams.