Senior High-Speed Photonics Architect

Aylight  

High Speed Photonics Architect  

Location: Zurich, Switzerland  

Company: Aylight AG  

Industry: Integrated Photonics | RF/mm-Wave ICs | AI Infrastructure  

Employment: Full-time | On-site / Hybrid  

About Aylight  

Aylight is a Swiss deep-technology company spun out of ETH Zürich, developing a novel integrated laser platform for AI datacenter optical interconnects and high-precision optical metrology. We design and fabricate monolithic InP photonic integrated circuits (PICs) that generate dense optical frequency combs, enabling next-generation; high-density WDM interconnects at the scale and efficiency that AI infrastructure demands.  

The Opportunity  

We are looking for a senior High Speed Photonics Architect to lead the design and development of the high-frequency electronic subsystems that drive our laser platform. This role sits at the intersection of mm-wave integrated circuit design and high-speed photonics — a rare and strategically important combination.  

You will own the RFIC design from architecture to tapeout, work closely with the PIC team on opto-RF co-design, and help define the packaging strategy for our photonic modules. This is a senior individual contributor role with strong technical ownership and significant scope for impact in an early-stage, high-growth environment.  

Responsibilities  

High-Speed IC Design  

• Architect and design high-frequency integrated circuits operating at 100 GHz and above, in InP HBT, GaAs HBT/pHEMT, or SiGe BiCMOS technology.  
• Design mm-wave oscillators, amplifiers, and driver circuits meeting stringent phase noise, frequency stability, and power delivery requirements.  
• Execute full circuit-to-layout design flow including EM-aware layout, parasitic extraction, and post-layout verification.  
• Collaborate with III-V and BiCMOS foundries on PDK-compliant design and tapeout submission.  
• Support on-wafer and packaged RF characterization.  

Opto-RF Co-Design & System Integration  

• Co-design the interface between the RFIC and the photonic integrated circuit, ensuring electrical and optical subsystems are optimized together.  
• Contribute to packaging strategy for photonic modules: bond design, RF transitions, thermal management, and module-level yield.  
• Define test and calibration procedures for mm-wave photonic modules.  

Photonic Device Design (Strong Plus)  

• Design high-speed electro-optic modulators (EAM, MZM, or resonant) and/or high-speed photodetectors in III-V platforms.  
• Contribute to PIC-level system architecture, bridging the optical and electronic domains.  

IP & Documentation  

• Contribute to Aylight's patent portfolio through invention disclosures.  
• Maintain design documentation and support technical due diligence processes.  

Qualifications  

Education  

• PhD in Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a closely related discipline, with a focus on mm-wave integrated circuits, semiconductor devices, or high-speed photonics.  
• MSc candidates with a strong industrial track record in mm-wave IC design will be considered.  

Essential  

• Minimum 5 years of IC design experience at frequencies of 30 GHz and above, with demonstrated tapeouts at 100 GHz or above.  
• Hands-on expertise in at least one high-speed semiconductor process: InP HBT, GaAs HBT or pHEMT, or SiGe BiCMOS.  
• Strong mm-wave circuit design skills: oscillators, tuned amplifiers, transmission-line matching, passive/active circuit topologies at mm-wave frequencies.  
• Experience with EM simulation tools (e.g., HFSS, Momentum, Sonnet) and RF/mm-wave circuit simulation (e.g., ADS, Virtuoso).  
• Experience with mm-wave on-wafer characterisation (VNA, spectrum analyser, phase noise measurement).  
• Understanding RF packaging challenges at mm-wave frequencies: transitions, bond parasitics, thermal constraints.  

Strong Plus  

• Experience designing high-speed electro-optic modulators (EAM or MZM) or high-speed photodetectors in III-V and/or silicon photonic platforms.  
• Familiarity with InP monolithic PIC platforms and foundry PDKs.  
• Understanding of opto-RF co-packaging and electro-optic bandwidth limitations.  
• Background in optical frequency combs, WDM systems, or coherent optical systems.  
• Experience with heterogeneous or hybrid integration of electronics and photonics.  

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Further Assets  

• Affinity with the work and methods of leading mm-wave III-V research groups (academic or industrial).  
• Publications or patents in mm-wave ICs or high-speed photonics.  
• Experience in a deep-tech startup or early-stage R&D environment.  

Language  

• Professional proficiency in English — required.  
• German or French a plus.  

What We Offer  

• A senior founding-team-adjacent role with direct impact on our core technology.  
• Competitive salary benchmarked to Zurich deep-tech and semiconductor industry standards.  
• Meaningful equity participation through Aylight's employee stock option program.  
• Access to state-of-the-art lab infrastructure and collaboration with world-class photonics research institutions and industry partners.  
• A high-ownership environment where your architectural decisions will ship in silicon.  
• Location in Zurich — one of Europe's leading photonics and semiconductor hubs.  

Employment Details  

• Employment level: 100% (full-time)  
• Reporting line: CTO  
• Location: Zurich, Switzerland (relocation support available)  
• Start date: Q3 2026 or by agreement  

We are building one of the most technically ambitious photonic systems in the industry. If you are a world-class mm-wave IC designer with a passion for working at the interface of electronics and photonics, we want to hear from you.  

• Applications: Please send your CV and a brief note on your most relevant mm-wave IC design and tapeout experience to careers@aylight.io.