Optical Interconnect Process Engineer
London, UK
Posted on Jun 24, 2026
About OLIX
AI is growing faster than any technology in history, and the explosion in demand has created a massive infrastructure gap; we can no longer build chips or power stations fast enough to keep up. The industry is still leaning on a ten-year-old hardware blueprint that has reached its limit. A new paradigm that is faster and more efficient will be the biggest economic opportunity of the next century and create the most important company of the next decade.
The OLIX Decode Accelerator 1 (DX-1) is the first accelerator architected specifically for decode. Rack-scale co-design of logic, data movement, packaging, and ultra-low-loss optics enables a step change in system-level performance.
The Role
As an Optical Interconnect Process Engineer at OLIX, you will be responsible for translating next-generation electro-optic interconnect architectures into scalable, manufacturable, and reliable hardware.
This role focuses on the process integration, fabrication, and backend packaging of Thin Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). You will drive the process development of high-index-contrast Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI) platforms, optimizing ultra-fast modulators with low drive voltages, high-frequency RF electrode integration, and low-loss fiber-to-chip coupling. You will work hands-on across prototyping, foundry transfer, characterization, and yield, ensuring our TFLN-based active optical engines can be built at scale to break the data-movement bottleneck.
Responsibilities
Optical Interconnect Implementation
AI is growing faster than any technology in history, and the explosion in demand has created a massive infrastructure gap; we can no longer build chips or power stations fast enough to keep up. The industry is still leaning on a ten-year-old hardware blueprint that has reached its limit. A new paradigm that is faster and more efficient will be the biggest economic opportunity of the next century and create the most important company of the next decade.
The OLIX Decode Accelerator 1 (DX-1) is the first accelerator architected specifically for decode. Rack-scale co-design of logic, data movement, packaging, and ultra-low-loss optics enables a step change in system-level performance.
The Role
As an Optical Interconnect Process Engineer at OLIX, you will be responsible for translating next-generation electro-optic interconnect architectures into scalable, manufacturable, and reliable hardware.
This role focuses on the process integration, fabrication, and backend packaging of Thin Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN) Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs). You will drive the process development of high-index-contrast Lithium Niobate on Insulator (LNOI) platforms, optimizing ultra-fast modulators with low drive voltages, high-frequency RF electrode integration, and low-loss fiber-to-chip coupling. You will work hands-on across prototyping, foundry transfer, characterization, and yield, ensuring our TFLN-based active optical engines can be built at scale to break the data-movement bottleneck.
Responsibilities
Optical Interconnect Implementation
- Design and optimize ultra-high-speed TFLN active components.
- Develop efficient coupling solutions, such as spot-size converters and specialized edge-coupling to transition light efficiently from laser sources and fibers into TFLN waveguides.
- Integrate high-frequency (100 GHz+) traveling-wave RF electrodes, optimizing for velocity and impedance matching between the electrical and optical signals.
- Define alignment strategies and sub-micron tolerances for high-volume automated assembly of active optical sub-assemblies.
- Drive co-packaged optics (CPO) integration utilizing active TFLN platforms.
- Address complex opto-electronic constraints, managing the co-packaging of high-speed RF driver ICs (EIC) directly with TFLN PICs.
- Partner with mechanical and thermal teams to mitigate the anisotropic thermal expansion, pyroelectric effects, and mechanical stress inherent to Lithium Niobate crystals.
- Develop and refine wafer-scale fabrication processes for LNOI substrates, focusing on high-quality thin-film morphology and cladding layer deposition.
- Optimize difficult dry-etching processes (e.g., Ar+ ion milling, ICP-RIE physical sputtering) to achieve highly anisotropic, smooth waveguide sidewalls with minimal redeposition.
- Establish robust metallization processes (liftoff, electroplating) for thick, low-loss Cu/Au RF electrodes.
- Partner with specialized photonics foundries and OSATs to transfer, stabilize, and scale TFLN process flows from R&D to production.
- Mitigate DC bias drift and pyroelectric charge accumulation through advanced layer engineering, passivation, and surface treatments.
- Analyze process variability affecting waveguide geometry, uniformity, and optical insertion loss across 200mm/300mm wafers.
- Define and execute validation plans for integrated TFLN assemblies, ensuring long-term electro-optic reliability and high optical power handling.
- 5–15 years of experience in advanced micro-fabrication, with deep process integration expertise specifically in Thin Film Lithium Niobate (TFLN / LNOI) or compound semiconductor (InP, GaAs) optoelectronics.
- Proven track record of creating or modifying complete process flows for high-speed active electro-optic devices.
- Deep hands-on background in physical etching tech required for LN (such as chlorine/fluorine ICP-RIE, ion milling) as well as advanced PECVD/ALD cladding, and metal deposition.
- Competitive Salary: Commensurate with your experience, skills, and location
- Equity & Ownership: Meaningful stock options. You’re not just joining the mission; you’re owning a piece of it
- Proximity Bonus: We value your time. To minimise your commute and maximise your life, we offer an annual Living-Local Bonus if your residence is within 20 minutes of the office
- Retirement Benefits: Employer-contributed retirement plans to help you build long-term financial security.