Senior Photonics Engineer

General Dynamics

Hybrid

Quick summary

Work type: Hybrid
Location: Florham Park, NJ
Salary: $175,332–$184,920 / yr
Posted: 6 days ago
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

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Competitive pay

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $175k

This role $180k

$126k most similar roles pay here $226k

This role pays more than 63% of similar roles. Most pay $150,000–$199,200 — the shaded band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $180k versus about $175k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About General Dynamics

General Dynamics is a global aerospace and defense company offering a broad portfolio of products and services in business aviation, ship construction, land combat vehicles, and information technology. It serves customers in the U.S. government, allied governments, and a diverse array of commercial markets.

General Dynamics currently has 519 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $118,519–$150,385 across 438 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Senior Photonics Engineer

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The Senior Photonics Engineer role at General Dynamics Mission Systems involves leading the design and execution of photonic integrated circuit (PIC) solutions for defense and intelligence applications. This position requires managing the full PIC design cycle, from requirements analysis to post-fabrication testing, using tools like Luceda IPKISS and Lumerical. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience with PIC layout, simulation, and tape-out processes at commercial foundries, as well as a background in electrical engineering or photonics. They should be proficient in Python for design automation and possess technical leadership skills to mentor junior engineers. Experience across multiple photonic platforms such as silicon, silicon nitride, and lithium niobate is preferred, along with knowledge of optical system-level design and integration of PICs into complex systems.

Skills

Luceda IPKISS Photonforge Lumerical Tidy3D Python Silicon photonics Silicon nitride Lithium niobate Waveguides Couplers Ring resonators AWGs MZIs Modulators Photodetectors PIC layout Foundry tape-out Fiber-coupled measurements Probe-based measurements Design automation Test scripting RF photonics Nonlinear photonics

What you'll do

Lead the full PIC design cycle from requirements analysis to post-fabrication test.
Design and simulate PIC circuits using foundry PDKs and first-principles approaches.
Execute PIC layout using Luceda IPKISS or equivalent tools accurately.
Manage tape-out with domestic foundries, ensuring compliance with design rules.
Lead testing and characterization of fabricated PIC devices for optical and electrical measurements.

What we're looking for

Requires a Bachelors degree in Electrical Engineering or related field plus at least 8 years of relevant experience.
Experience with full-lifecycle PIC design, including concept modeling through tape-out and testing.
Proficiency in PIC layout tools (Luceda IPKISS, Photonforge) and photonic simulation tools (Lumerical, Tidy3D).
Foundry tape-out experience at a commercial photonics foundry.
Working knowledge of core PIC building blocks such as waveguides, couplers, ring resonators, modulators, and photodetectors.
Technical leadership or mentorship of small engineering teams in technical discussions and design reviews.

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