The Lead Photonics System Engineer will lead the design and manufacturing enablement of Co-Packaged Optics (CPO) systems at Jabil, focusing on photonic communication links, process development, yield improvement, and test strategy. This role involves close collaboration with clients and internal teams across engineering and manufacturing to drive innovation in intelligent infrastructure solutions.
What You'll Do
- Provide product subject matter expertise to support manufacturing line bringup and NPI activities for CPO systems, focusing on process design, yield analysis, and root-causing of failure modes to drive yield improvement.
- Develop test strategy, quality control gates, and rework flows with test engineering and industrial engineering teams to establish process control, early fault detection, and effective rework flows.
- Define yield, throughput, and parametric-data dashboards (as well as automated data analysis) for implementation with work cell and data engineering teams to allow SPC implementation and drive systematic yield improvement processes.
- Participate in client interactions to funnel in specs and requirements required for system CPO system design.
- Support product design phase with DFM and FMEA guidance.
- Train and provide technical guidance to factory product engineers through manufacturing NPI and volume ramp phases.
- Maintain ongoing engagement with factory operations and engineering teams to continuously drive process and yield improvements and provide engineering support for manufacturing issues.
- Keep abreast of new technologies pertaining to co-packaged-optics systems with a focus on photonics packaging, fiber-optic connectivity, test and metrology methods and equipment.
- Evaluate and qualify new offerings in area of fiber-optic connectivity (such as blind-mate connectors, shuffle cables, various supporting tooling) to support design activities and tool adoption on factory floor.
- Perform other duties and responsibilities as required.
What We're Looking For
- Relevant 4-year Bachelor’s Degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics or a similar field is required.
- 6+ years of photonics communication system (optical engine / transceiver / switch box / networking rack) development or product engineering in the datacom / telecom industry is required.
- Possesses deep expertise in optical communication links, associated component / module specs and test methods in R&D and manufacturing for defect detection.
- Capable of hands-on setting up of DC/RF electro-optical testbenches, including basic test automation coding in Python or similar.
- Highly detail oriented, highly organized & methodical thinker.
- Able to tackle engineering challenges and devise structured R&D programs for process development.
- Independent, action-oriented, entrepreneurial, and with high sense of product ownership.
- Able to travel up to 70% both domestically and internationally.
Nice to Have
- Advantage to experience working with manufacturing partners / in-house manufacturing of optical communication systems.
- Advantage to product-engineering experience in NPI and volume manufacturing ramp phases of optical communication components / modules / systems.
- Strong preference to advanced degrees in electrical engineering or applied physics.
Technical Stack
- Python
- DC/RF electro-optical testbenches
- Test automation
- SPC (Statistical Process Control)
- DFM (Design for Manufacturing)
- FMEA (Failure Modes and Effects Analysis)
- Parametric data analysis
- Data dashboards
- Fiber-optic connectivity tools
- Blind-mate connectors
- Shuffle cables
Team & Environment
Central engineering organization with cross-functional collaboration across manufacturing sites and industrial/test engineering teams.
Benefits & Compensation
- Short-term incentive based on performance
- Medical insurance
- Dental insurance
- Vision insurance
- Paid time off accruing at a rate of 3.07 hours per pay period during the first year of employment
- 4 weeks of paid parental leave
- 11 company-paid holidays in 2026 (9 fixed and 2 optional floating holidays), subject to annual change
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Employee stock purchase plan
Compensation: Salary range of $105,100 - $189,200, equity through employee stock purchase plan, and short-term performance incentive.
Work Mode
Role allows remote work in specified regions with potential for hybrid engagement depending on site needs. Locations include Austin, TX, USA; Remote, USA; San Jose, CA; Ottawa, Canada; Remote, Canada.
Jabil, including its subsidiaries, is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.
