Photonics Reliability Engineer

Job Description

About Celestial AI

As Generative AI continues to advance, the performance drivers for data center infrastructure are shifting from systems-on-chip (SOCs) to systems of chips. In the era of Accelerated Computing, data center bottlenecks are no longer limited to compute performance, but rather the system's interconnect bandwidth, memory bandwidth, and memory capacity. Celestial AI's Photonic Fabric™ is the next-generation interconnect technology that delivers a tenfold increase in performance and energy efficiency compared to competing solutions.

The Photonic Fabric™ is available to our customers in multiple technology offerings, including optical interface chiplets, optical interposers, and Optical Multi-chip Interconnect Bridges (OMIB). This allows customers to easily incorporate high bandwidth, low power, and low latency optical interfaces into their AI accelerators and GPUs. The technology is fully compatible with both protocol and physical layers, including standard 2.5D packaging processes. This seamless integration enables XPUs to utilize optical interconnects for both compute-to-compute and compute-to-memory fabrics, achieving bandwidths in the tens of terabits per second with nanosecond latencies.

This innovation empowers hyperscalers to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of AI processing by optimizing the XPUs required for training and inference, while significantly reducing the TCO2 impact. To bolster customer collaborations, Celestial AI is developing a Photonic Fabric ecosystem consisting of tier-1 partnerships that include custom silicon/ASIC design, system integrators, HBM memory, assembly, and packaging suppliers.

ABOUT THE ROLE

We are seeking an experienced and driven Senior or Staff Photonics Reliability Engineer to join our high-performance team supporting advanced photonics technologies for next-generation Datacenter applications serving scale up networks. This role is critical to ensuring the long-term performance and quality of Silicon Photonics, lasers, and other optical components and modules across the product lifecycle—from early-stage design through mass production. The ideal candidate will bring deep reliability expertise, a strong foundation in photonics engineering, and cross-functional experience with NPI, Quality Systems, and Supplier Quality.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Drive reliability strategy and execution for photonic components including Silicon Photonics ICs, lasers (DFB, CW lasers etc), and Optoelectronic SiPs used in high-speed optical networks.

Partner with R&D and design engineering to provide early reliability input during the product development lifecycle.

Define and execute qualification plans aligned with Telcordia/GR-468, JEDEC, and other relevant standards for telecom and datacom products.

Conduct accelerated life testing (ALT), failure analysis, degradation modeling, and root cause investigations to guide design and process improvement.

Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including Photonics Design, Packaging, Manufacturing, Quality Engineering, Product Marketing and Supply Chain to ensure robust product development and transfer to production.

Lead supplier qualification activities and implement supplier quality metrics for critical photonics components.

Develop and maintain Design for Reliability (DfR) methodologies, including predictive modeling and statistical analysis.

Prepare, present and document technical reviews, reliability reports, and risk assessments for internal and customer-facing engagements.

QUALIFICATIONS

M.S. or Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Materials Science, or related field.

10–15 years of experience in photonics reliability engineering with direct exposure to Silicon Photonics, laser technologies, and optical transceivers.

Strong background in photonics device physics, photonics packaging, and failure mechanisms.

Demonstrated success supporting NPI programs and product qualification from concept through volume production.

In-depth knowledge of relevant standards (GR-468, Telcordia, JEDEC, MIL-STD).

Proficiency with reliability modeling, statistical analysis (e.g., Weibull, Arrhenius), and tools such as JMP, Minitab, or similar.

Hands-on experience with reliability test systems (e.g., HTOL, HAST, T/H, TC), and FA tools (e.g., SEM, FIB, X-ray, spectroscopy).

Effective communicator with the ability to influence cross-functional and supplier teams.

Experience in a fast-paced, high-tech environment serving telecom/datacom markets.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

Experience in integrated photonics packaging and co-design (optical + electrical).

Familiarity with wafer-level reliability and optical wafer probing.

Prior experience on engagements with Tier-1 datacenter customers or hyperscalers.

LOCATION: Santa Clara, CA

For California Location:

As an early stage start up, we offer an extremely attractive total compensation package inclusive of competitive base salary, bonus and a generous grant of our valuable early-stage equity. The target base salary for this role is approximately $185,000.00 - $225,000.00. The base salary offered may be slightly higher or lower than the target base salary, based on the final scope as determined by the depth of the experience and skills demonstrated by candidate in the interviews.

We offer great benefits (health, vision, dental and life insurance), collaborative and continuous learning work environment, where you will get a chance to work with smart and dedicated people engaged in developing the next generation architecture for high performance computing.

Celestial AI Inc. is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer.

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Full-time