Product IC Quality and Reliability Engineer

NewPhotonics is a fabless semiconductor engineering innovative optical-first silicon photonic product and technology for AI interconnect in data centers and hyperscaler infrastructure. Our market-disrupting PIC solutions enable energy efficiency, production simplicity and volume manufacturing of pluggable, NPO and CPO chips and engine platforms that will compact-packaged optical connectivity in scale-out, scale-up and scale-across networks. Job Description We are looking for a Product IC Quality and Reliability Engineer to take ownership of the qualification, screening strategy, Failure analysis, DFT definition and long-term reliability evaluation of our next-generation silicon photonics ICs and optical transceiver platforms. In this role, you will define and execute stress testing methodologies from silicon-level up to final module assembly, working alongside Systems, Foundries, and OSAT partners. You will directly shape the hardware product maturity, qualification success, and field lifetime expectations required by hyperscale data center customers. Main Responsibilities Define a comprehensive qualification plan & design the equipment required qualifying advanced photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and high-speed electronic ICs based on JEDEC, Telcordia (GR-468), and MIL-STD industry standards. Develop and manage stress-testing architectures, including High-Temperature Operating Life (HTOL), biased-HAST, Temperature Cycling, and Electrostatic Discharge (ESD/latch-up) characterization. Define production screening strategies such as wafer-level burn-in (WLBI) and built-in self-test metrics to catch infant mortality failures prior to customer shipping. Lead physics-of-failure analysis and root-cause investigations on hardware, laser components, or optical packaging anomalies stemming from reliability testing or field returns. Collaborate closely with Foundry, OSAT, Systems, and Optical groups to drive Design for Reliability (DFR), assess wafer-level reliability (WLR) data, and establish strict baseline quality control limits. Qualifications & Requirements B.Sc. in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, or a related technical discipline. 5+ years of hands-on experience in semiconductor component-level quality, product engineering, or IC reliability engineering. Demonstrated proficiency with reliability test infrastructure, statistical failure distribution models (Weibull, Lognormal, Arrhenius acceleration equations), and hardware debug tools. Solid understanding of wafer-level fabrication or advanced semiconductor packaging failure mechanisms (e.g., electromigration, delamination, optical degradation). Independent problem-solver with strong task-prioritization skills, comfortable operating in a fast-paced environment with minimal guidance. Star Candidate Advantages Direct experience with silicon photonics (SiPh) reliability vectors, laser diode degradation, or active optical component qualification. Proven background working with fabless manufacturing pipelines, analysing foundry WAT data, or managing qualification testing at third-party test labs. Hands-on experience with advanced analytical tools used in failure analysis (such as SEM, FIB, X-ray, or EMMI). Prior experience thriving in dynamic, fast-paced startup cultures.