High-Speed Electro-Optical IC Engineer

SpaceX

Confirmed live yesterday Trusted

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Palo Alto, CARedmond, WA
Salary: $135,000–$175,000 / yr
Posted: 13 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live yesterday
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

Market check

Salary context

Below market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $194k

This role $155k

$124k $241k

below market most similar roles pay here above market

This role pays less than 79% of similar roles. Most pay $161,500–$227,500 — the blue band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $155k versus about $194k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with the mission of enabling humans to become a multi-planetary species. It operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, as well as the Starlink satellite internet constellation.

SpaceX currently has 854 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$165,000 across 591 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · High-Speed Electro-Optical IC Engineer

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The High-Speed Electro-Optical IC Engineer (RFIC Engineering) joins a cross-disciplinary team to develop next-generation PIC/EIC for space and ground infrastructures. This role focuses on expanding the performance of the Starlink network by designing, analyzing, and simulating drivers for MZM and laser diodes, as well as TIAs and PD models. Key responsibilities include developing Analog/Mixed-Signal/RF/Microwave circuits in SiGe, FDSOI, or silicon bulk CMOS processes, performing IC floor planning, and modeling packages for electro-optical components. Candidates must utilize tools like Spectre, ADS, HFSS, and Ansys Lumerical to support high-speed SerDes links exceeding 80Gbps. The work involves characterizing optical building blocks like Microring modulators and waveguides to solve connectivity problems in remote areas, requiring proficiency in C/C++ or Python and knowledge of NRZ and PAM4 modulation.

Skills

Silicon Photonics RFIC SiGe FDSOI CMOS Spectre ADS HFSS Momentum Ansys Lumerical COMSOL Python C/C++ SerDes PAM4 NRZ MZM Microring Modulators Spectrum Analyzers Vector Signal Analyzers High Speed Oscilloscopes BERTs

What you'll do

Design, analyze, and simulate drivers for MZM and laser diodes.
Design and simulate TIAs and derive models for Ge Photo diodes.
Develop Analog, Mixed-Signal, RF, and Microwave circuits in SiGe, FDSOI, or CMOS processes.
Perform IC floor planning and layout for electro-optical components.
Evaluate, characterize, and measure electrical and optical building blocks of high-speed optical links.
Develop automated test setups and programs for production and lab measurements.
Work with manufacturing engineers on production testing and qualification of EIC/PIC components.

What we're looking for

Bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, computer engineering, or computer science.
2+ years of photonics or electro-optical integrated circuit design.
Master's degree or PhD in physics, electrical engineering, or computer engineering with an emphasis in electro-optics IC design (preferred).
Experience using simulation tools such as Spectre, ADS, HFSS, Momentum, Ansys Lumerical, or COMSOL (preferred).
Understanding of silicon photonics designs and optical building blocks like MZM, Microring modulators, and Ge Photo diodes (preferred).
Electrical circuit design skills for mmWave or broadband analog and experience with high bandwidth modulator drivers, TIAs, and filters (preferred).
Experience with wideband circuit designs for high speed SerDes links exceeding 80Gbps (preferred).
U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.