Organisation:
Department of Electrical Engineering
Apply no later than: 01-10-2026
Full-time equivalent:
1.0 FTE
Salary: € 3.706 - € 5.760
Introduction
The research position requires design experience for photonic integrated circuits, either through PhD study or equivalent industrial design. The ambition is to develop and validate standard workflows for circuit specification, simulation, modeling, layout and verification. The candidate should have an affinity for software engineering, an awareness of software package interoperability issues, and an ability to work with both commercial and open source tools and methods. The role is expected to enable the integration of design kits, intellectual property and compact models into automated design processes for photonic circuits.
Tasks
Develop a formalised design flow for photonic integrated circuits for commonly used software tools
Interface and potentially contribute to open-source tools to implement the PIC design flow
Integrate and adapt photonic PDKs to software tools
Apply standardized data exchange methods between software tools
Derive seamless design flows to enable the integration of photonic technologies into other semicon systems
Cooperate with and enable a team of designers and design tool developers across Europe
Break down requirements into tangible deliverables
More experienced candidates may be expected to establish strong relationships with key stakeholders and engage directly in standards activities.
Job Description
Photonic integrated circuits enable cutting-edge technology that is shaping the future of our digital society – ultrahigh bandwidth telecommunication, quantum computing, AI datacenters, non-intrusive sensing, LiDAR, and intelligent manufacturing. This fast-moving field has abundant opportunities for innovation and valorization, yet market visibility into photonics skills requirements remains fragmented and incomplete. You will have the opportunity to work on highly complex and high capability platforms and workflows for designing and validating photonic and electronic integrated circuits. You will be part of a team bringing the latest design methods and fabrication processes together for prototypes and production in various market segments including wireless sensing, new forms of computation, communications, biomedical sensing, quantum technologies and more.
The role is funded by the European Chips Design Platform (EuroCDP) – an EU-wide initiative targeted at integrating chip design resources to offer a one-stop shop to designers. By streamlining access, the platform aims to help reduce the economic and technical barriers of chip design, facilitating fast prototyping and upscaling, and thus stimulating the EU semiconductor industry.
Within the project you will develop a full cloud-based photonic integrated circuit design flow using open-source methods and tools. The work includes the necessary improvements and identification of missing open-source EDA tool features, as well as requirements in terms of quality acceptance and documentation. One of the tasks is interfacing open-source tools and defining data flows between them. Integration of the (existing) PDKs and IP blocks into design tools is another activity to be performed in the project. In this role you will interface with various engineering teams from open-source tool developers, cloud service providers, IP block developers, EDA tool developers to integrated circuit designers.
This position will be in the Photonic Integration group, which has played an important role in open standards such as openEPDA.org and within the open access community jeppix.eu. JePPIX: EU chip design platform:
Job Requirements
Doctoral education in electrical engineering or physical sciences or equivalent
Minimum three years of experience in photonic integrated circuit design
Experience with various design software, both graphical user interface- and script-based
Experience with automation and data analysis using python
Ability to convert high-level requirements to design workflows
Hands-on experience and contribution to open source software tools is an advantage
Good verbal and written communication skills
Ability to work in teams and collaborate effectively with people in different functions
If you are concerned that you don’t meet all the requirements sufficiently, but the job does excite you, then be sure to respond, we would love to look at your profile.
Conditions of Employment
A meaningful job in a dynamic and ambitious university, in an interdisciplinary setting and within an international network. You will work on a beautiful, green campus within walking distance of the central train station.
In addition to your base salary, you will receive an 8% holiday allowance and an 8.3% year-end bonus, both calculated based on your annual gross base salary.
Generous leave options: a standard 29 days (based on a 38 hour working week) per year that you can increase to 41 days by working two hours more per week (flexible working hours). This is prorated if you work part-time.
As a ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø employee, you participate in the ABP pension scheme, providing retirement pension and pension benefits for surviving dependents and occupational disability. ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø pays 70% of the pension premium, while employees contribute the remaining 30%.
A favorable arrangement for more holidays or a sabbatical.
A selection model for additional fringe benefits.
Working hours in consultation for an optimal work-life balance.
An excellent technical infrastructure, and on-campus children's day care.
Unlimited access to the modern on campus at an exceptionally affordable rate.
We support your wellbeing with free 24/7 access to OpenUp, providing you and your family with mental health support, expert guidance, and online training.
Scope for your talent with advancement prospects and excellent development opportunities such as mentoring, workshops and coaching.
Partially paid parental leave and reimbursement for commuting expenses, working from home and the internet.
On our website you can discover even more information about our conditions of employment. Build on your career at ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø!
About us
We are a leading international university where scientific curiosity meets a hands-on mindset. We work in an open and collaborative way with high-tech industries to tackle complex societal challenges. Our responsible and respectful approach ensures impact — today and in the future. ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø is home to over 13,000 students and more than 7,000 staff, forming a diverse and vibrant academic community.
Our university is located in Brainport Eindhoven — a world‑leading tech region with more than 7,000 high‑tech companies and strong R&D activity. Known for breakthroughs in AI, photonics, semiconductors and advanced manufacturing, Brainport is a place where technology serves people and society. Learn more about the Brainport region .
Information
Do you recognize yourself in this profile and would you like to know more? Please contact hiring manager Dima Pustakhod or group chair Kevin Williams.
Are you inspired and would like to know more about working at ºÚÁϸ£ÀûÍø? Please visit our career page.
#EUfunded This is an EU funded project, named HE, with project number RT203649, within program DECIDE.
Application
If you are interested, please use the ‘apply’ button to send us your CV and letter of application with your motivation and a description of your qualifications.
Ensure that you submit all the requested application documents. Please note that incomplete applications may not be considered and could be rejected.
We look forward to receiving your application!
Please note
You can apply online. We will not process applications sent by email and/or post.
A pre-employment screening (e.g. knowledge security check) can be part of the selection procedure. For more information on the knowledge security check, please consult the .
Please do not contact us for unsolicited services.
Join the Eindhoven University of Technology and its thriving community of scientists, students, and professionals. Shape your own career as you become part of a personal university with a big impact. A university where students and lecturers know each other on a first-name basis and work together on innovative projects with real-life significance.