Senior III-V Laser Design & Manufacturing Process Engineer
Position Overview
We are seeking an experienced Senior III-V Laser Design & Manufacturing Process Engineer to lead the design, development, optimisation, and manufacturing transfer of high-performance III-V semiconductor lasers.
This role sits at the intersection of laser device physics, epitaxial structures, semiconductor processing, photonic device design, and high-volume manufacturing. You will be responsible for taking laser concepts from design and simulation through fabrication, characterisation, yield improvement, and production qualification.
The successful candidate will have a strong understanding of III-V semiconductor laser technology and practical experience translating device designs into robust, manufacturable processes. You will work closely with device physicists, epitaxy, wafer fabrication, packaging, test, reliability, and manufacturing teams.
Key Responsibilities
Laser Design & Development
Lead the design and development of III-V semiconductor laser devices, including:
DFB and DBR lasers
Fabry-Pérot lasers
Ridge-waveguide and buried-heterostructure lasers
High-power and high-speed laser architectures
Integrated laser/photonic structures where applicable
Define and optimise device structures, including active regions, waveguides, claddings, contacts, gratings, and optical confinement structures.
Use analytical modelling and simulation tools to evaluate optical, electrical, and thermal performance.
Translate system-level requirements into laser device specifications and design targets.
Perform design-of-experiments and device trade-off studies to optimise performance, manufacturability, and yield.
Semiconductor Process Development
Develop, optimise, and qualify wafer fabrication processes for III-V laser devices.
Define and control process flows covering:
Lithography and patterning
Etching
Dielectric deposition
Metallisation
Implantation/doping where applicable
Regrowth processes
Cleaving or facet processing
Passivation
Wafer thinning and back-side processing
Establish process windows and critical process parameters.
Develop process control plans and monitor key device and wafer characteristics.
Identify process sensitivities and implement robust design-for-manufacturing strategies.
Work with fabrication partners or internal fabs to transfer processes from development into production.
Device Characterisation & Failure Analysis
Define and execute electrical, optical, thermal, and reliability characterisation plans.
Analyse key laser metrics including:
Threshold current
Slope efficiency
Output power
Wavelength and spectral characteristics
SMSR/side-mode behaviour
Wall-plug efficiency
Modulation performance
Thermal resistance
Lifetime and degradation
Correlate device performance with epitaxial, structural, and process parameters.
Lead root-cause investigations for device failures, yield excursions, and performance variation.
Use statistical analysis and DOE techniques to identify process drivers and optimise manufacturing performance.
Manufacturing & Yield Improvement
Own technical aspects of the transition from R&D prototypes to repeatable manufacturing.
Establish manufacturing process capability, control limits, and acceptance criteria.
Drive continuous improvement in wafer yield, device performance, reliability, and cost.
Analyse wafer maps, parametric data, SPC trends, and production test results to identify systematic issues.
Develop corrective and preventive actions for process and product issues.
Support qualification of new processes, materials, equipment, suppliers, and manufacturing sites.
Work with contract manufacturers and external wafer fabs where required.
Cross-Functional Technical Leadership
Provide technical leadership across laser design, epitaxy, process engineering, packaging, test, and reliability teams.
Mentor junior and mid-level engineers.
Lead technical reviews and communicate complex device and process issues clearly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Develop and maintain process documentation, design rules, specifications, qualification reports, and manufacturing procedures.
Represent laser process and device engineering in customer, supplier, and manufacturing discussions where required.
Required Qualifications & Experience
Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Photonics, or a related discipline.
Typically 7+ years of relevant experience in semiconductor lasers, optoelectronics, photonics, or III-V semiconductor manufacturing.
Strong hands-on experience with III-V semiconductor laser design and fabrication.
Demonstrated experience taking semiconductor devices from development through manufacturing.
Strong understanding of semiconductor device physics and laser operation.
Practical knowledge of III-V materials and platforms such as InP, GaAs, or related compound-semiconductor systems.
Experience with semiconductor processing and process integration.
Strong understanding of statistical process control, DOE, yield analysis, and root-cause analysis.
Experience interpreting electrical, optical, and physical characterisation data.
Ability to work effectively across R&D and manufacturing environments.
Preferred Experience
Experience in one or more of the following would be advantageous:
InP laser platforms and telecom/datacom lasers
DFB/DBR laser design
High-speed directly modulated lasers
High-power semiconductor lasers
Quantum-well or quantum-dot active regions
Epitaxial growth and MOCVD/MBE processes
Selective-area or butt-joint regrowth
Grating fabrication and process control
Wafer-level optical/electrical probing
Laser packaging and coupling
Photonic integrated circuits
Silicon photonics integration
Reliability qualification and accelerated-life testing
Automated wafer-level test and data analysis
Semiconductor process simulation and modelling
Python, MATLAB, or equivalent data-analysis/programming tools
Technical Skills
The ideal candidate will demonstrate expertise across several of the following areas:
Device Physics
Semiconductor laser physics
Carrier and photon dynamics
Optical confinement
Gain and loss mechanisms
Thermal effects
Carrier transport
High-speed modulation
III-V Technology
InP/GaAs material systems
Epitaxy
Heterostructure design
Regrowth
Doping and contacts
Facet engineering
Fabrication
Lithography
Dry and wet etching
Dielectric processing
Metallisation
Wafer thinning
Cleaving/facet coating
Process integration
Manufacturing Engineering
DOE
SPC
FMEA
Process capability analysis
Yield analysis
Statistical data analysis
Root-cause/corrective-action methodologies
Design for manufacturability
Personal Attributes
Strong technical ownership and problem-solving ability.
Comfortable working hands-on with complex semiconductor processes and equipment.
Data-driven and rigorous in technical decision-making.
Able to move effectively between detailed device physics and practical manufacturing constraints.
Strong communication and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Comfortable working in an environment where development priorities can change rapidly.
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and lead technically challenging projects.
Focused on producing robust, scalable solutions rather than one-off laboratory results.
Success in the Role
Success in this role will be demonstrated through the ability to:
Deliver laser designs that meet optical, electrical, thermal, and reliability requirements.
Establish stable and repeatable manufacturing processes.
Improve wafer and device yield through data-driven process optimisation.
Successfully transfer new laser designs and processes into production.
Reduce process variability and manufacturing cost.
Resolve complex device and process failures quickly and systematically.
Build strong technical alignment between design, fabrication, packaging, test, and manufacturing teams.
Reporting & Collaboration
The role will typically report to the Director/Head of Laser Engineering or Photonics Engineering and will work closely with:
Laser/device design
Epitaxy
Wafer fabrication
Process integration
Packaging
Test and automation
Reliability
Quality
Operations and manufacturing
External foundry and supplier partners