System Validation Engineer – Photonics

Position Summary

We are looking for a hands-on System Validation Engineer to support validation, test automation, and debugging of advanced photonic and optoelectronic products.

The ideal candidate has at least  2–3 years of relevant experience, although strong recent graduates with demonstrated laboratory, programming, or photonics experience are encouraged to apply.

This role works across photonics, electrical hardware, firmware, software, and test automation. You will run experiments, automate measurements, analyze data, investigate failures, and help determine why a device or system is not behaving as expected. As experience grows, you will take increasing ownership of system and firmware validation.

Responsibilities

• Execute DVT and system-level validation of photonic and optoelectronic modules.
• Support module bring-up, characterization, functional testing, regression testing, and failure investigation.
• Set up and operate laboratory equipment including optical power meters, OSAs, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, BERTs, temperature controllers, and related instrumentation.
• Develop Python-based test automation for instrument/DUT control, data acquisition, analysis, and test execution.
• Automate measurements to improve test efficiency, repeatability, coverage, and data quality.
• Analyze validation data and generate engineering plots, reports, and technical summaries.
• Debug failures across the DUT, optical path, electrical hardware, firmware, software, instrumentation, and measurement setup.
• Design and execute controlled experiments and DOEs to isolate variables and identify root causes.
• Work with validation, photonics, hardware, and firmware engineers to define test conditions, test matrices, pass/fail criteria, and validation procedures.
• Support firmware validation, including functional testing, telemetry verification, operating conditions, error handling, and regression testing.
• Develop automation to exercise firmware interfaces, configure DUT conditions, collect telemetry, and verify expected system behavior.
• Document test procedures, results, failure investigations, and lessons learned.

Required Qualifications

• BS or MS in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, or a related field.
• 2–3 years of relevant engineering experience is preferred; exceptional recent graduates with strong project, internship, research, or laboratory experience will also be considered.
• Programming experience with Python.
• Understanding of electrical fundamentals including signals, voltage/current, noise, and measurement principles.
• Comfortable working hands-on with laboratory hardware and instrumentation.
• Ability to analyze data, troubleshoot systematically, and investigate unexpected behavior.
• Strong curiosity, willingness to learn, and good technical communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Python instrument automation using PyVISA, SCPI, serial, USB, or Ethernet.
• Photonics or optical laboratory measurements.
• Semiconductor lasers, photonic modules, or optical transceivers.
• OSAs, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, power meters, or BERTs.
• High-speed electrical or optical testing.
• Firmware or embedded-system validation.
• Data analysis using NumPy, Pandas, or Matplotlib.
• Git, automated test frameworks, DOE, or structured root-cause analysis.

What We’re Looking For

We are looking for an engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of hardware and software—connecting instruments, running experiments, writing Python automation, analyzing unexpected data, and systematically debugging problems.

You do not need to be an expert in every area of photonics or firmware. We value strong engineering fundamentals, hands-on curiosity, programming ability, and the ability to learn quickly.

This role offers the opportunity to grow into broader ownership of system validation, test automation, firmware validation, and test architecture for advanced photonic products.