Photonic Packaging Engineer, Principal

Photonic Packaging Engineer, Principal San Jose, California, United States Apply Astera Labs (NASDAQ: ALAB) provides rack-scale AI infrastructure through purpose-built connectivity solutions. By collaborating with hyperscalers and ecosystem partners, Astera Labs enables organizations to unlock the full potential of modern AI. Astera Labs’ Intelligent Connectivity Platform integrates CXL®, Ethernet, NVLink, PCIe®, and UALink™ semiconductor-based technologies with the company’s COSMOS software suite to unify diverse components into cohesive, flexible systems that deliver end-to-end scale-up, and scale-out connectivity. The company’s custom connectivity solutions business complements its standards-based portfolio, enabling customers to deploy tailored architectures to meet their unique infrastructure requirements. Discover more at www.asteralabs.com . We are seeking a visionary and technically strong Photonic Packaging Engineer, Principal to lead the design, development, and productization of advanced packaging solutions for advanced optics. This role will drive the intersection of photonics, high-speed electronics, thermal management, and mechanical integration to enable next-generation data center and networking platforms. You will guide a multidisciplinary team through all phases of product realization—from concept and design through manufacturing scale-up—working closely with silicon photonics, electrical packaging, systems, and supply chain teams to achieve world-class optical and electrical performance. Key Responsibilities Lead the end-to-end development of photonic packaging strategies for Silicon Photonics Modules, including EIC/PIC co-packaging, optical coupling, fiber attach, and thermal and mechanical design. Define technical requirements and package architectures that balance performance, manufacturability, and cost with compatibility with established electronic packaging flows. Collaborate with IC packaging, optical connector, and silicon photonics teams to achieve co-design optimization Build and mentor a high-performing team of packaging engineers and scientists. Drive supplier engagement and technology partnerships for packaging partnerships and innovations. Oversee failure analysis, reliability testing, and yield improvement efforts. Contribute to the long-term package technology roadmap for advanced optical integration and scalability with ALAB's signal connectivity portfolio. Qualifications Ph.D. or M.S. in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, or related field. 10+ years of experience in photonic packaging, optical transceivers, or advanced semiconductor packaging. Proven expertise in high-speed optical/electrical packaging, thermal management, and precision optomechanical design. Deep understanding of optoelectronic package integration Track record of leading complex hardware from R&D through high-volume manufacturing. Strong program management and cross-functional leadership skills. Excellent communication, negotiation, and organizational abilities. Preferred Experience Experience with silicon photonics integrated devices Familiarity with advanced packaging optics trends and data center network architectures. Background in contract manufacturing, vendor qualification, and global supply chain management. Salary range is $205,000 to $255,000 depending on experience, level, and business need. This role may be eligible for discretionary bonus, incentives and benefits.   We know that creativity and innovation happen more often when teams include diverse ideas, backgrounds, and experiences, and we actively encourage everyone with relevant experience to apply, including people of color, LGBTQ+ and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities. Apply for this job * indicates a required field First Name * Last Name * Preferred First Name * Email * Phone Country * Phone * Resume/CV * Attach Attach Dropbox Google Drive Enter manually Enter manually Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Cover Letter Attach Attach Dropbox Google Drive Enter manually Enter manually Accepted file types: pdf, doc, docx, txt, rtf Education School * Select... Degree * Select... Discipline * Select... Start date month Select... Start date year End date month Select... End date year Add another LinkedIn Profile How many years of full-time experience do you have relevant to the role? Select... Are you open to relocation and if so, to what location(s)? * Are you available to work full-time on-site in San Jose, or willing to relocate if required? * Will you require immigration sponsorship now or in the future? * Select... Submit application