Sr. Staff Engineer, Electrical Link Architecture

San Jose, CA

About the role

Position: Sr. Staff Engineer, Electrical Link Architecture Location: San Jose, CA Job Id: 578 # of Openings: 0 Sr. Staff Engineer, Electrical Link Architecture Location: San Jose, CA (on-site) Ayar Labs is solving the I/O bandwidth bottlenecks inherent in modern AI compute architectures. As pioneers of co-packaged optics (CPO), we develop silicon photonics solutions that deliver unprecedented bandwidth density and reach, at a fraction of the power consumption required to scale next-generation AI models. Backed by industry giants like NVIDIA, AMD, Mediatek and Intel and manufactured in partnership with the world's leading semiconductor ecosystem, Ayar Labs' co-packaged optics solution is key to unleashing next-generation AI scale-up architectures. Joining our Link Design and Architecture team, you will own the electrical-side modeling that drives our silicon photonics I/O platform — the analog front end, the DSP that closes the link, and the models that make circuits and photonics co-simulate end-to-end. This team is responsible for the robustness and performance of the optical links that power our technology, from component-level modeling through architecture definition, full link analysis, specification development, and yield prediction. Beyond today's products,

the team drives the exploration of next-generation link architectures and directly shapes our long-term technology roadmaps. Essential Functions Build and maintain compact models of the analog front end and the DSP chain at the fidelity needed for accurate BER and link-margin prediction. Co-design Verilog-A models of the electrical/optical interface — modulators, photodetectors, and the blocks where circuits and photonics meet — with analog / mixed-signal (AMS) designers. Anchor models to silicon by working with validation engineers to reconcile simulation against measurement. Feed accurate electrical models into link studies, partnering with statistical link modeling experts on specs and yield using standard circuit-design methods (corners, Monte Carlo). Collaborate across AMS, photonics, and validation to keep the modeling stack coherent with the product roadmap. Run end-to-end link simulations to evaluate device and architecture choices, informing current product design and future roadmap exploration. Required

Qualifications MS in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field. 5+ years (Sr. Engineer) or 8+ years (Staff Engineer) of experience in high-speed link modeling, SerDes architecture, analog/mixed-signal modeling, or DSP for wireline communication. Strong working knowledge of analog front-end blocks and the DSP that closes high-speed links. Proficiency in Verilog-A and mixed-signal simulation methodologies. Experience with statistical circuit analysis methods (corners, Monte Carlo). Strong Python skills for scientific computing and data analysis. Preferred

Qualifications Prior industry experience architecting and deploying SerDes into a shipping product. Ph.D. Hands-on experience with silicon bring-up, validation, or link characterization. Working knowledge of analog circuit fundamentals and high-speed signal integrity concepts. Familiarity with Cadence Virtuoso / ADE / Spectre. Familiarity with optical transceiver principles, modulation formats, and industry standards. Salary range: $190,000 - $223,000 NOTE TO RECRUITERS: Principals only. We are not accepting resumes from recruiters for this position. Remuneration for recruiting activities is only applicable subject to a signed and executed agreement between the parties. Please don’t send candidates to Ayar Labs, and do not contact our managers. Ayar Labs is an Equal Opportunity Employer and is strongly committed to all policies which will afford equal opportunity employment to all qualified persons without regard to age, sex, national origin, race, color, ethnicity, creed, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. It is the policy of Ayar Labs to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. Veterans are more than welcome and encouraged to apply. Apply for this Position Go back to the job list

About Ayar Labs

Ayar Labs uses silicon photonics and microring-based architectures to increase bandwidth, reduce latency, and improve power efficiency in accelerator and XPU environments. The company’s TeraPHY optical engine integrates UCIe-based optical chiplets to enable high-throughput, low-power data transfer across extended distances within and between compute systems. Its SuperNova external light source provides multi-wavelength laser output designed for scalable, standards-based deployment. Ayar Labs supports disaggregated memory and scale-up architectures, enabling AI hardware systems to operate with higher interconnect density and accelerator utilization.

Other roles at Ayar Labs

Interested?

Let me introduce you to the founders.

Skip the process

Job details

Salary

$190,000 - $223,000

Location

San Jose, CA

Company

NameAyar Labs
IndustryAI Infrastructure
Team Size3

Funding

Total raised

$870M

Last stage

Series E

Investors

NNeuberger Berman
AAdvent International
LLight Street Capital
PPlayground Global
Insight Partners

Founders

Mark Wade

Mark Wade

Co-Founder & CEO

LinkedIn
Chen Sun

Chen Sun

Co-Founder & VP of Silicon Engineering / Chief Scientist

LinkedIn
Vladimir Stojanovic

Vladimir Stojanovic

Co-Founder & CTO

LinkedIn

What happens next.

No applications, no recruiter spam. Just the intro.

01

Confirm the fit

A few questions to make sure this role is the right shape for you. Two minutes.

02

I pitch you to the company

I write the intro, send it to the founder, and handle the back-and-forth.

03

A meeting lands on your calendar

If they’re a yes, I book the chat. You show up — that’s the whole job-hunt.