Sr Staff Integrated Photonics Laser Systems Architect in Toronto

Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads.

We are hiring a Senior Staff Laser Architect to join our Laser System Architecture & Engineering (LSAE) team. In this role, you will define the architecture of Guide™, Lightmatter's laser platform that supplies multi-wavelength optical power to photonic interconnects for AI infrastructure, and of Data-SOA, the semiconductor optical amplifier that boosts modulated data signals in the optical link. You will turn product and customer requirements into these architectures.

Responsibilities:

• Define and own the Guide laser architecture, from concept through high-volume production.
• Define and own the Data-SOA architecture in Lightmatter’s optical links.
• Deliver laser module architecture specifications and work closely with hardware and software teams to define functionality, interfaces, and documentation.
• Actively collaborate with Lightmatter Passage team to drive alignment between Guide and Passage product architectures.
• Engage in problem-solving to develop innovative high-performance laser solutions.
• Collaborate across disciplines—with electronics, photonics, mechanical, and thermal engineering teams—to design systems, control algorithms, PICs, and PMICs that meet performance, power, and production requirements.
• Engage with the engineering, product, sales, and architecture teams to define requirements for subsystems, device characterization, debug, and validation.
• Validate architectures, models, and specifications via hands‑on testing of dies, prototype assemblies, and packaged modules.
• Collaborate with test engineers and technicians to define production test and validation protocols, as well as to analyze and debug test results.
• Work with external vendors to ensure timely development and delivery of key processes and components.
• Contribute to the roadmap of laser development, improving performance, scalability, power consumption, and cost.
• Publish and present novel ideas, and participate in premier photonics conferences.

Qualifications:

• PhD in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related technical field.
• 8+ years of hands‑on experience in optical devices, PICs, and semiconductor physics, with a track record of architecting laser or optical transceiver solutions from concept to volume manufacturing.
• Expertise in mathematical modeling and simulation utilizing Python for link budget modeling, corner evaluation, and Monte Carlo simulations.
• Exceptional oral and written communication skills to articulate complex engineering concepts to multidisciplinary teams and executive leadership.
• Strong analytical problem‑solving skills with a proven capacity to tackle ambiguous, open‑ended engineering challenges.
• Self‑driven initiative with a rapid learning curve and a collaborative, roll‑up‑your‑sleeves mindset.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience architecting lasers for datacom applications, such as external or integrated laser sources feeding CPO or optical I/O engines.
• Experience with semiconductor optical amplifiers in datacom links: gain, noise figure, saturation, pattern effects and cross‑gain modulation in WDM, and III‑V/silicon heterogeneous SOA integration.
• Solid foundation in semiconductor laser physics alongside silicon photonics integrated circuits.
• Experience with wavelength locking, thermal tuning and power‑control loops, co‑simulated against physical models.
• Experience taking products into a high‑volume manufacturing environment, including laser reliability and eye‑safety qualification.
• Demonstrated technical leadership of a cross‑functional team.
• Contributions to optical standards bodies (OIF, IEEE 802.3, MSAs), publications and patents.

We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data. Salary Range: $185,000 - $233,000 CAD.

Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location.

Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regardless of race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, veteran status, and other protected status as required by applicable law.

Candidates should have capacity to comply with the federally mandated requirements of U.S. export control laws.