Staff SiPho & III-V Test Engineer

Who we are Aurora’s mission is to deliver the benefits of self-driving technology safely, quickly, and broadly. The Aurora Driver will create a new era in mobility and logistics, one that will bring a safer, more efficient, and more accessible future to everyone. At Aurora, you will tackle massively complex problems alongside other passionate, intelligent individuals, growing as an expert while expanding your knowledge. For the latest news from Aurora, visit aurora.tech or follow us on LinkedIn.

What we are looking for Aurora hires talented people with diverse backgrounds who are ready to help build a transportation ecosystem that will make our roads safer, get crucial goods where they need to go, and make mobility more efficient and accessible for all. We are looking for a highly experienced Test Engineer to lead the development of test methodologies, automation, and test infrastructure for silicon photonics, lasers, and advanced optoelectronic products. This role combines photonics expertise, hardware test development, Python software automation, and data analysis, with a strong focus on scalable and production ready test solutions. In this role you will

• Develop optimized automated routines to execute and analyze various silicon photonics and III-V components (e.g., optical power, insertion loss, LIV sweeps, extinction ratio, modulation bandwidth, coupling efficiency).

• Design and validate specialized test hardware, including optomechanical fixtures, probe cards, and custom printed circuit boards (PCBs), for use in both research and development (R&D) and high-volume manufacturing

• Design software control systems, search algorithms, and machine vision tools that automatically align optical components across multiple axes and optimize chip-to-chip coupling, FAU-to-chip coupling

• Correlate measurement data with physical device behavior to monitor optoelectronic performance, track process variations, and drive hardware yield improvements.

• Establish detailed test specifications, conduct Gauge Repeatability and Reproducibility (Gauge R&R) studies to assess measurement reliability, and create calibration and qualification procedures for characterization stations.

• Set measurement best practices, calibration procedures, data quality checks, and documentation standards for all testing activities.

• Turn test and characterization results into clear, actionable recommendations for teams working on laser design, photonics integration, packaging, system architecture, and reliability.

Required qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, or a related field.

• 6+ years hands-on experience in photonics, laser, semiconductor, or optoelectronic testing

• Fundamental understanding of optical, electrical and optoelectrical measurement techniques and instrumentations

• Proficiency in Python or similar object-oriented programming languages

Desirable qualifications

• Direct experience working with advanced optical sensing technologies, including lidar, silicon photonics, or related fields.

• Experience designing and implementing automated optical alignment systems for high-precision optical characterization, including multi-axis motion control, alignment search algorithms, and real-time feedback optimization

• Experience in experimental design and statistical analysis, with the ability to analyze large characterization datasets, draw clear conclusions from test results, and provide actionable feedback to design teams.

• Proven track record of architecting automated test systems from concept through production deployment in a semiconductor, photonics, or advanced hardware environment.

• Extensive experience performing complex high-speed optical and electrical measurements using photodetectors, RF spectrum analyzers, vector network analyzers (VNAs), and high-speed oscilloscopes, along with hardware calibration and de-embedding techniques.

The base salary range for this position is $181,000 - $262,000 per Year. Aurora’s pay ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, the successful candidate’s starting base pay will be determined based on factors including job-related skills, experience, qualifications, relevant education or training, and market conditions. These ranges may be modified in the future. The successful candidate will also be eligible for an annual bonus, equity compensation, and benefits.

Working at Aurora At Aurora, we bring together extraordinarily talented and experienced people united by the strength of our values. We operate with integrity, set outrageous goals, and build a culture where we win together — all without any jerks. We believe in-person work increases collaboration, empathy, and our ability to lead effectively. As a result, Aurorans are expected to work from the office at least 3 days per week, with some roles requiring more frequent in-office presence, up to 5 days per week, based on operational needs. Our Careers page provides insight into what it is like to work at Aurora, and you can find all the latest updates in our Newsroom.

Our commitment to safety At the core of everything we do is our commitment to safety. Building best-in-class self-driving technology will take time, and we believe that each employee at Aurora has a role in contributing to safety, every step of the way. Aurora expects commitment to our safety policies from every employee, and seeks candidates who take an active responsibility, can contribute to building an atmosphere of trust, and invest in the organization’s long-term success by prioritizing working safely, no matter what.

Our commitment to inclusion Aurora considers candidates without regard to their race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy status, parent or caregiver status, ancestry, political affiliation, veteran and/or military status, physical or mental disability, or any other status protected by federal or state law. Aurora considers qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state, and local law. We are also committed to providing reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities and disabled veterans in our job application procedures. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, you may contact us at [email protected].

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