Senior Photonics Application Engineer / Senior Photonics Application Engineeress

Join Our Team as a Senior Photonics Application Engineer

Are you the kind of engineer customers want on the call when they inquire about whether a TFLN PIC can meet their system requirements? At Lightium, we are pioneering next-generation photonic integrated circuits (PICs) built on thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN). We are looking for a Senior Photonics Application Engineer to be the technical face of Lightium, guiding customers from their first inquiry through to the successful onboarding of their designs and readiness for tape-out. You will play a crucial role in shaping how each new customer experiences our innovative solutions.

Position Summary

In this pivotal role, you will join our Commercial Team, reporting to the CRO, and take ownership of the pre-sales customer journey. This includes:

• First contact
• Technical qualification
• Feasibility assessment
• Quotation
• Purchase order management
• Onboarding

Your ability to convert customer requirements into a credible technical scope will ensure that clients get the right pathway (MPW, dedicated lot, or production) using our established O-band and C-band PDKs. You understand the expectations of a customer looking for a foundry, having experienced the transition from design to tape-out on external PDKs yourself.

Key Responsibilities

• Pre-Sales Technical Ownership: Serve as the initial technical contact for inbound and outbound opportunities spanning various sectors, including telecom, datacom, quantum, defense, AI, and health. Qualify requirements against our platform criteria and provide transparent feedback on feasibility.
• Technical Scope & Quotation: Collaborate with Operations and Sales to define the technical scope of each quotation, ensuring alignment with process, test, known good die (KGD) requirements, and packaging options.
• Documentation: Accurately record technical requirements, decisions, and customer commitments in the CRM for seamless handoff to the Sales team.
• Customer Onboarding & Design Enablement: Facilitate the structured onboarding process for every new customer, including kick-off, PDK delivery, design-flow setup, training sessions, and ongoing support. Review designs and layouts, ensuring they adhere to specifications before submission.
• Voice of the Customer: Bring structured feedback from customers into R&D and product development, creating reusable assets such as design guides and FAQs in collaboration with our Marketing & Communication Lead.
• Industry & Customer Presence: Represent Lightium’s technical credibility at trade shows, conferences, and customer visits, requiring regular international travel and occasional meetings outside standard office hours.

What You'll Bring

• Educational Background: A PhD or Master’s degree in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years in integrated photonics design, applications engineering, or a technical customer-facing role, with expertise in SiPh, SiN, InP, or TFLN.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency with PIC design and EDA tools (such as Luceda IPKISS, Nazca, Synopsys, or KLayout), deep familiarity with PDKs, and understanding of electro-optic characterization and testing.
• Commercial Mindset: Comfort discussing scope, lead times, and pricing with customers, while ensuring a clear quote and smooth onboarding process.
• Communication: Ability to effectively convey complex technical concepts to both engineering teams and procurement leads.
• Ownership & Collaboration: Strong organizational skills with an emphasis on closing loops and following up with customers and colleagues.
• Adaptability: Thrive in a fast-paced startup environment, contributing to the establishment of robust processes.
• Language Skills: Fluency in English is required; proficiency in Chinese or other Asian languages is a plus.

What We Offer

A unique opportunity to build Lightium’s commercial engine from the ground up at a deep tech company that stands out for its technical differentiation and commitment to high-volume production.

We provide a competitive compensation and benefits package, including an employee stock option plan (ESOP), reflective of your experience and expertise.

Join an early-phase startup where your contributions will matter, and immerse yourself in a diverse, impact-driven team. Here, you will have the opportunity to grow and develop your professional skills at an accelerated pace.

Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.

We look forward to hearing from you if you are passionate about building new technology and thrive in a collaborative, innovative environment. Lightium is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace.