Senior Engineer, Photonic Design & Testing

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Advancing the World's Technology Together

Our technology solutions power the tools you use every day--including smartphones, electric vehicles, hyperscale data centers, IoT devices, and so much more. Here, you'll have an opportunity to be part of a global leader whose innovative designs are pushing the boundaries of what's possible and powering the future.

We believe innovation and growth are driven by an inclusive culture and a diverse workforce. We're dedicated to empowering people to be their true selves. Together, we're building a better tomorrow for our employees, customers, partners, and communities.

The Sensor Metasolutions Lab at Samsung is focused on driving leadership in next-generation sensors, photonics, and imaging for mobile, wearables, and beyond. Our mission is to redefine the sensor hardware-software platform, maximizing performance while minimizing form factor and energy consumption through advanced nanotechnology and AI.

We partner closely with sensor pixel, optics, packaging, SoC, and AI/ML engineering teams to tackle the unique challenges of next-generation optical sensing. This includes inventing new photonic design, rethinking sensor architectures, and developing intelligent algorithms that extract richer and more actionable information at ultra-low power. At the same time, we explore emerging technologies spanning meta-optics, novel materials, thermal engineering, sensor-AI co-design, and on-device intelligence. Through continuous R&D, we ensure Samsung's platforms remain ready for the increasingly complex workloads of vision, health, robotics, and future mobile experiences.

This is an exciting and unique opportunity for a talented and hard-working Photonic engineer to get involved in envisioning, prototyping, and implementing state-of-the-art optical products with a growing team. New hires will be responsible for designing, building, testing, and validating photonic proof-of-concept (POC) systems that integrate next-generation sensors, metasurfaces, nanostructures, and sensing modules. By pushing boundaries together as a curious, passionate, and collaborative team, we aim to deliver breakthrough sensing innovations that make devices more capable, more human-aware, and more sustainable.

Come join the Samsung SML team and enjoy building state-of-the-art photonic solutions! You will be required to work with local and international groups to successfully develop innovative solutions and products.

Location: Daily onsite presence in San Diego, CA in alignment with our Flexible Work policy.

What You'll Do

-Design and develop highly efficient metaphotonic elements, devices and systems with machine learning, deep learning and/or physical models

-Design experiments, perform characterizations, and apply enhancements to our designs, and devices

-Development, implementation, debug, evaluation of algorithms and processing for real-time image and optical signal

-Create quick prototypes/modules with 3D printing and proof-of-concepts demo

-Develop and automate testing procedures (Python/Matlab/LabVIEW), calibration flows, and performance metrics for sensor evaluation.

-Work with the team to assist in the overall development of optical systems; developing and benchmarking system performance models and test evaluation

-Participate in design reviews of optical, optomechanical & optoelectronic components, equipment, and systems

-Maintain lab documentation and contribute to internal knowledge sharing (Confluence, Github, etc.).

-Publish research results in top venues and file patents

What You Bring

- Masters with 5+ years or PhDs in Electrical Engineering, Optical Physics or relevant fields

-4+ years of hands-on experience in optics, photonics, or sensor prototyping and evaluation (academic or industry)

-Experience designing and assembling optical test setups, POC modules, and experimental benches

-Experience with automation, scripting, and data logging using Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW

-Experience with Maxwell-solver (FDTD, FEM), Ray-tracing (Zemax, Lightools) and/or relevant optical design platform

-Good understanding of nanoscale optics, computational imaging and optical system modeling

-Basic knowledge about metasurfaces, nanomaterials, CMOS image sensor, and silicon photonics

-Hands-on experience with 3D printing, rapid prototyping, or hardware integration

-Background in computer vision, signal processing or deep learning for optical systems

-Familiarity with Matlab, Python and deep learning frameworks (TensorFlow, PyTorch)

-Strong analytical and problem-solving skills

-Excellent communication and cross-functional collaboration skills

#LI-VL1

What We OfferThe pay range below is for all roles at this level across all US locations and functions. Individual pay rates depend on a number of factors-including the role's function and location, as well as the individual's knowledge, skills, experience, education, and training. We also offer incentive opportunities that reward employees based on individual and company performance.

This is in addition to our diverse package of benefits centered around the wellbeing of our employees and their loved ones. In addition to the usual Medical/Dental/Vision/401k, our inclusive rewards plan empowers our people to care for their whole selves. An investment in your future is an investment in ours.

Give Back With a charitable giving match and frequent opportunities to get involved, we take an active role in supporting the community.
Enjoy Time Away You'll start with 4+ weeks of paid time off a year, plus holidays and sick leave, to rest and recharge.
Care for Family Whatever family means to you, we want to support you along the way-including a stipend for fertility care or adoption, medical travel support, and virtual vet care for your fur babies.
Prioritize Emotional Wellness With on-demand apps and free confidential therapy sessions, you'll have support no matter where you are.
Stay Fit Eating well and being active are important parts of a healthy life. Our onsite Caf and gym, plus virtual classes, make it easier.
Embrace Flexibility Benefits are best when you have the space to use them. That's why we facilitate a flexible environment so you can find the right balance for you.

Base Pay Range

$119,200-$178,800 USD

Equal Opportunity Employment Policy

Samsung Semiconductor takes pride in being an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to fostering an environment where all individuals feel valued and empowered to excel, regardless of race, religion, color, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, ancestry, genetic information, marital status, national origin, political affiliation, or veteran status.

When selecting team members, we prioritize talent and qualities such as humility, kindness, and dedication. We extend comprehensive accommodations throughout our recruiting processes for candidates with disabilities, long-term conditions, neurodivergent individuals, or those requiring pregnancy-related support. All candidates scheduled for an interview will receive guidance on requesting accommodations.

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