Photonics Design Engineer - PIC & Tape-Out (f/m/d)

Your mission

The future of AI computing builds on light. Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light – delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and HPC applications.


We are looking for a mid-to-senior level engineer to join our team. As the technical owner of PIC design, you will own the end-to-end design and tape-out of integrated photonic circuits – from circuit definition through layout integration, verification, and release. You will ensure every chip is testable, manufacturable, and ready to scale, while directly shaping Q.ANT's photonic technology and product roadmap.

What You Will Do

• Own and drive end-to-end tape-outs: lead circuit coordination, layout integration, DRC sign-off, documentation, and release readiness across multiple concurrent projects
• Act as the primary interface to foundries and external fabrication partners – aligning designs to process constraints, resolving design rule conflicts, and ensuring correct execution
• Contribute to PDK development and validation, and continuously improve the design workflow through automation, layout reuse, and review practice improvements
• Mentor junior engineers on photonic layout, verification, and tape-out best practices; spread a culture of rigour and ownership across the PIC team
• Feed design insights into Q.ANT’s photonic technology roadmap, proposing new components and optimisation strategies

Your profile

• Master's degree in Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, or related field with at least 3 years of industry experience; or PhD with industry-relevant projects and engineering tasks, plus at least 1 year of post-PhD experience at an industry company
• Strong hands-on experience in integrated photonics design and large-scale PIC layout, from concept through to tape-out
• Proven experience coordinating multi-project tape-outs (DRC, documentation, release) and interfacing with foundries on process constraints
• Proficiency in photonic simulation (FDTD, eigenmode expansion, circuit-level) and PIC layout tooling, with solid device physics understanding; PDK development experience is a plus
• Strong Python skills for automation, verification, and design flow improvement
• Strong collaboration and communication across architecture, characterisation, packaging, electronics, and fabrication teams
• Takes ownership of delivery and drives risks to resolution
• Fluent English required; German is a plus

Why us?

• Make impact at scale: your design and tape-out work directly determines which photonic technologies reach production – high stakes, high impact from day one
• Work on the leading edge: photonic integrated circuit technologies that are shaping the next decade of computing
• Own your work from day one: shape tape-out strategy, PDK direction, and design workflow improvements with direct impact on product success
• Fast-track your growth: work on challenges with few industry precedents – every tape-out you drive becomes new institutional knowledge and potentially industry-defining IP
• World-class team: collaborate alongside a passionate, international, cross-functional team of experts in photonics, electronics, packaging, and fabrication
• Direct access to leadership: work closely with the company’s founders, including CEO Dr. Michael Förtsch, and the Q.ANT senior leadership team
• Collaborative culture: innovative work environment that values technical excellence, open communication, and pragmatic problem-solving
• Be part of history: join at the inflection point where photonic computing transitions from research to mainstream – your contributions will shape this transformation

We are looking for a hands-on senior engineer who gets energized by owning complex tape-outs end to end, driving design quality and workflow rigour across a world-class PIC team, and directly shaping next-generation photonic technology. Ready to push the boundaries of what photonic integrated circuits can do?


We are looking forward to receiving your application!


Q.ANT is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

About us

Who we are and what we do

Q.ANT is a deep-tech scale-up developing photonic processing solutions that compute natively with light and deliver a scalable alternative to transistor-based systems. The analog co-processors are optimised for complex computations and enable energy-efficient performance for next-generation AI and HPC applications. In collaboration with the Institute for Microelectronics Stuttgart IMS CHIPS, Q.ANT operates its own pilot line for photonic chips, based on the material system Thin-Film Lithium Niobate TFLN. Q.ANT was founded by Michael Förtsch in 2018 and is headquartered in Stuttgart, Germany.