Overview:

The Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) is the nonprofit, applied research division of the Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech). Founded in 1934 as the Engineering Experiment Station, GTRI has grown to more than 2,900 employees, supporting eight laboratories in over 20 locations around the country and performing more than $940 million of problem-solving research annually for government and industry. GTRI's renowned researchers combine science, engineering, economics, policy, and technical expertise to solve complex problems for the U.S. federal government, state, and industry.   

Georgia Tech's Mission and Values

Georgia Tech's mission is to develop leaders who advance technology and improve the human condition. The Institute has nine key values that are foundational to everything we do: 

1. Students are our top priority.
2. We strive for excellence.
3. We thrive on diversity.
4. We celebrate collaboration.
5. We champion innovation.
6. We safeguard freedom of inquiry and expression.
7. We nurture the wellbeing of our community.
8. We act ethically.
9. We are responsible stewards.

Over the next decade, Georgia Tech will become an example of inclusive innovation, a leading technological research university of unmatched scale, relentlessly committed to serving the public good; breaking new ground in addressing the biggest local, national, and global challenges and opportunities of our time; making technology broadly accessible; and developing exceptional, principled leaders from all backgrounds ready to produce novel ideas and create solutions with real human impact.

Project/Unit Description

The Photonics & Microelectronics Division (PMD) in the Electro-Optical Systems Laboratory (EOSL) of GTRI is searching for an early-career Photonics/RF IC Engineer, with a focus in either photonics or RF/millimeter wave technologies. The successful candidate will work on multiple projects within the Division, including building benchtop photonic & RF systems, modeling results, and then reducing the design to photonic & RF ICs. The Photonics and Microelectronics Division currently performs advanced research and development that involves novel photonic and RF system concepts; design & packaging of photonic integrated circuits and RF/millimeter-wave ICs; developing advanced materials and devices; and assembling spacecraft hardware. These components and sub-systems are used in a variety of applications, primarily in aerospace and national security platforms. The successful candidate will support work across the Division, as described in the Additional Responsibilities section.

The PMD team is skilled in the design, simulation, fabrication, packaging and measurement of RF and photonic ICs and subsystems; fiber optics & comms; building optical & RF subsystems with both discrete components & ICs; synthesis and deposition of advanced materials and semiconductors; materials physics and chemistry; and weathering of materials in space. PMD is a leader in the Georgia Tech Microelectronics community as well as the Space Technology community. GTRI offers a dynamic, collaborative environment, where research faculty generate new ideas for projects to serve the needs of the warfighter and national security, with opportunities to perform on projects outside their division to broaden their knowledge & experience.

Job Purpose

A Photonics Engineer advances and matures the state-of-the-art in integrated circuits that interact with electromagnetic signals. Their research centers on the development of RFICs and/or photonic IC (PICs) technology enabled through a diverse set of material systems, including Complementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS)-based silicon, silicon germanium (SiGe), and compound semiconductors (InP, GaAs, GaN and their associated ternary and quaternary compositions). The engineer is versed in the design and development of electronic, radio frequency, millimeter wave, and photonics design and development. Technology breakthroughs are achieved through a broad skill set covering numerous stages of the fabrication process including simulation, design, layout, packaging, and characterization of ICs, as well as integration into higher-level systems (such as board-level, component-level, and systems-level). The engineer works as part of a broad team of researchers to innovate new concepts, identify technology stakeholders, and execute challenging research in the national interest.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop RF and Analog IC designs at a device level according to requirements, architecture, and design
• Generate documentation of hardware design and theory of operation
• Perform basic RF and analog lab testing activities
• Use RF and Analog schematic, layout, and modeling tools -Perform literature surveys on research topics
• Generate documentation of experiments and results

Additional Responsibilities

• Conduct benchtop experiments in the optics laboratory using free-space and fiber optics, lasers, modulators, amplifiers, photodetectors, photonic integrated circuits, etc.
• Build and characterize RF subsystems with discrete components, ICs, apertures, etc.
• Test, characterize, and package custom ICs designed at GTRI
• Integrate custom photonic and RF ICs into functional circuit card assemblies
• Model and simulate optical and RF systems, devices, and structures

Required Minimum Qualifications

• Candidates currently enrolled in an accredited degree program relevant to this position will be considered. The candidate must have a graduation date of no later than May 2025
• B.S. degree in electrical engineering, microelectronics, physics, applied physics, or similar field
• Experience with photonic component and system simulation software such as Lumerical, OptSim, VPI Photonics, Optodesigner (OR) Experience with radio frequency (RF) component and system simulation software such as HFSS, Cadence AWR, Keysight ADS, Silvaco TCAD, Altium Designer.
• Experience with IC design and layout tools such as Cadence, Synopsis, Klayout, Calibre
• Experience performing basic electrical and optical measurements using equipment such as spectrum analyzers, high-speed oscilloscopes, network analyzers, power meters, and signal analyzers.
• Good understanding of photonics or RF engineering, circuit concepts, fabrication techniques, or device physics.
• Experience with common simulation tools such as MATLAB or Python.
• Strong sense of curiosity in both the technical and non-technical aspects of working in applied research.
• Ability to obtain and maintain a DoD Secret Clearance

Preferred Qualifications

• Active Secret Clearance
• Prior experience designing into various foundry processes, through tapeout, fabrication, and characterization.
• Working knowledge of semiconductor & CMOS reliability mechanisms; measuring & modeling failure analysis & reliability for discrete devices & ICs
• Characterization and test of bare die in a probe station, load pull measurements
• Strong foundation in mathematics and physics with ability to learn complex engineering concepts demonstrated through primary authorship in peer reviewed publications, contributions to Sponsored programs, or winning proposals.
• Experience in RF, photonic, digital, firmware, or embedded software design efforts
• Ability to clearly communicate technical ideas to a non-technical audience

Travel Requirements

<10% travel

Education and Length of Experience

This position vacancy is an open-rank announcement. The final job offer will be dependent on candidate qualifications in alignment with Research Faculty Extension Professional ranks as outlined in section 3.2.1 of the Georgia Tech Faculty Handbook

• 0-5 years of related experience with a Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Microelectronics, Physics, or closely related field
• 0-3 years of related experience with a Masters’ degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Microelectronics, Physics, or closely related field
• 0 years of related experience with a Ph.D. in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Microelectronics, Physics, or closely related field

U.S. Citizenship Requirements

Due to our research contracts with the U.S. federal government, candidates for this position must be U.S. Citizens.

Clearance Type Required

Candidates must be able to obtain and maintain an active security clearance.

Benefits at GTRI

Comprehensive information on currently offered GTRI benefits, including Health & Welfare, Retirement Plans, Tuition Reimbursement, Time Off, and Professional Development, can be found through this link: https://benefits.hr.gatech.edu/.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The Georgia Institute of Technology (Georgia Tech) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University is committed to maintaining a fair and respectful environment for all. To that end, and in accordance with federal and state law, Board of Regents policy, and University policy, Georgia Tech provides equal opportunity to all faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including applicants for admission and/or employment, contractors, volunteers, and participants in institutional programs, activities, or services.  Georgia Tech complies with all applicable laws and regulations governing equal opportunity in the workplace and in educational activities.

Georgia Tech prohibits discrimination, including discriminatory harassment, on the basis of race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, age, disability, genetics, or veteran status in its programs, activities, employment, and admissions.  This prohibition applies to faculty, staff, students, and all other members of the Georgia Tech community, including affiliates, invitees, and guests. Further, Georgia Tech prohibits citizenship status, immigration status, and national origin discrimination in hiring, firing, and recruitment, except where such restrictions are required in order to comply with law, regulation, executive order, or Attorney General directive, or where they are required by Federal, State, or local government contract.

USG Core Values Statement

The University System of Georgia is comprised of our 26 institutions of higher education and learning as well as the System Office. Our USG Statement of Core Values are Integrity, Excellence, Accountability, and Respect. These values serve as the foundation for all that we do as an organization, and each USG community member is responsible for demonstrating and upholding these standards. More details on the USG Statement of Core Values and Code of Conduct are available in USG Board Policy 8.2.18.1.2 and can be found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section8/C224/#p8.2.18_personnel_conduct.

Additionally, USG supports Freedom of Expression as stated in Board Policy 6.5 Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom found on-line at https://www.usg.edu/policymanual/section6/C2653.