Director of Laser System Development

ABOUT NEUROPHOS The demand for new data centers and AI compute is rapidly outpacing the planet's energy capacity. Digital solutions are hitting a power wall as we approach the physical limits of traditional silicon. Conquering this bottleneck means rethinking the fundamental architecture of inference compute. The industry's current path can't meet the need, so we're taking a different approach. Instead of traditional electronic circuits, we use silicon photonics and an active, programmable metasurface to perform matrix multiplications at the speed of light. Our optical cells are 10,000x smaller than traditional photonic components, enabling unprecedented density. By using photonics instead of electricity, our chips become more efficient as they scale. This architecture will deliver up to 100 times the energy efficiency of existing solutions while significantly improving performance for large-scale AI inference. We’ve assembled a world-class team of industry veterans and recently raised a $110M Series A https://www.neurophos.com/110m-raise led by Gates Frontier. Participants include M12 (Microsoft’s Venture Fund), Carbon Direct Capital, Aramco Ventures, Bosch Ventures, Tectonic Ventures, Space Capital, and others. Join us and shape the future of computing! POSITION OVERVIEW This role will lead Neurophos’ C-band high-power laser development programs. This is a senior position requiring deep technical expertise in laser physics and the ability to drive complex photonic device development from architecture through productization. The Director will own end-to-end development of high-power laser systems designed to meet output power, coherence, and spectral purity requirements for our next-generation optical AI compute platform. The candidate must have hands-on experience driving laser hardware development programs spanning multiple interdependent subsystems. They must be skilled at planning around long foundry lead times, structuring work to minimize re-spins, and managing vendor relationships at the epi and process-spec levels. This role requires the technical depth to own critical-path decisions and manage cascading impacts across subsystems.   LOCATION Austin, TX or Sunnyvale, CA. Full-time onsite position. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES Laser System Architecture & Development - Lead the design, development, and optimization of high-power laser systems operating in the C-band (1550 nm). - Experience developing erbium-doped fiber amplifier or waveguide amplifier laser systems. - Define and drive laser system configurations to achieve high output power targets with high coherence, narrow linewidth, and low noise. - For injection-locked systems, own the locking-range analysis, injected-power-ratio optimization, and stability-margin assessment across temperature and aging conditions; define feedback and control requirements for maintaining lock, and validate that the electronics solutions meet system-level specs. - Own system-level trade studies covering optical output power, coherence length, linewidth, RIN, SMSR, locking bandwidth, and wavelength stability across operating conditions. - Develop and validate device and system models to predict performance and guide design decisions through simulation platforms such as Lumerical, VPIphotonics, PICS3D, or equivalent. Program & Team Leadership - Build, lead, and mentor a multidisciplinary laser engineering team spanning laser physics, photonic integration, packaging, and test. - Define technical roadmaps and milestone-driven development plans aligned with product schedules and business objectives. - Drive program execution across in-house engineering teams and external foundry and packaging partners; work closely with TPMs on schedule management, vendor coordination, and milestone tracking. - Lead design reviews, root-cause failure analyses, and risk mitigation planning for laser subsystems. - Communicate program status, critical path, technical risks, and resource needs to executive leadership with precision and clarity. Vendor & Partner Management - Manage external foundries, vendors, and module assembly partners throughout the development lifecycle. - Ensure vendor deliverables are properly scoped, tracked, and aligned with internal program milestones; conduct regular reviews and proactively escalate risks. - Support negotiation and execution of co-development agreements, statements of work (SOWs), and supply agreements with foundry and component partners. Technology & Innovation - Stay at the forefront of C-band laser technology, including DFB/DBR seed lasers, MOPA, single-wavelength injection locking, and photonic integrated circuit integration. - Drive IP generation and protect proprietary innovations through patents and trade secrets in laser design, integration, injection locking, and high-power packaging. - Identify and cultivate academic, national lab, and industry partnerships to accelerate technology development. QUALIFICATIONS - Ph.D. in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a closely related field. M.S. with extensive industry experience will be considered. - 12+ years of progressive experience in laser and photonic device/system development, with at least 4 years in technical leadership or management roles. - Demonstrated hands-on experience with high-power laser development, including design, foundry engagement, device characterization, and qualification. - Deep expertise in C-band laser physics and system integration, including high-output-power architectures targeting narrow linewidth, low RIN, and high SMSR. - Proven track record developing and qualifying EDWA/EDFA configurations and/or injection-locked laser systems for high-power single-wavelength output (e.g., >300 mW fiber-coupled). - System-level understanding of injection-locking dynamics: locking bandwidth and its asymmetry, linewidth enhancement factor (α-factor) and its role in frequency pulling and phase noise, master-slave optical path design, and stability under varying temperature and drive conditions. - Ability to define feedback and control requirements for maintaining injection locking over temperature and aging, and to validate that electronics solutions meet system-level specs — without necessarily designing the control loop directly. - Understanding of behavior in coherent systems: phase noise contribution, gain saturation, ASE management, back-reflection risks, and polarization sensitivity — and how to design around these constraints at the system level. - Strong background in optical system-level design: fiber coupling, higher-power laser packaging. - Proficiency with test and measurement systems relevant to coherent laser characterization: OSA, frequency/phase noise analyzer, self-heterodyne linewidth measurement, LIV, locking range characterization, and BERT. WHAT WE OFFER This is an opportunity to play a pivotal role in an innovative startup redefining the future of AI hardware. Work on game-changing technology at the intersection of photonics and AI as part of a collaborative, brilliant team. You’ll contribute to a platform that redefines computational performance and accelerates the future of artificial intelligence. Come help us bring this transformative technology to the world.   BENEFITS Join a team that invests in your future and your well-being. At Neurophos, we offer: - 100% coverage of base health plan premiums for you and your dependents, plus HSA contributions. - Unlimited PTO. No rigid vacation banks, just a focus on delivery. - 401(k) matching and stock option opportunities to ensure our success is your success. - Full suite of voluntary benefits, including Dental, Vision, Life, Hospital, Critical Illness, and Accident insurance. - Personalized Benefits. Choose the plans that fit your life and take the cash back for those that don’t.