Team Overview 

Luminar Semiconductor Inc. (LSI) is a wholly owned subsidiary of Luminar Technologies Inc. and develops state-of-the-art semiconductor devices for optical sensing.  Luminar Technologies is poised to be the first automotive technology company to enable next-generation safety and autonomous capabilities for consumer cars, commercial trucks and more. 

We are a diverse team of passionate and driven individuals, making us a powerhouse of innovation, design, engineering, and manufacturing. We are hiring the best and the brightest to accelerate the industry, and bring forward the next transportation revolution. 

The Photodetector Design Engineer will be part of a team that develops and produces world class sensors for lidar and other optical sensing applications.  Working collaboratively with other members of the Photodetector Business Unit and the entire LSI organization, the candidate will be responsible for designing III-V avalanche photodiodes and other photodetector devices.  This individual will engage in capturing customer requirements; designing epitaxial wafer structures; designing photolithography masks to support photodetector fabrication; characterizing and analyzing device performance; providing guidance to wafer processing foundries; leading reliability studies; and completing device qualification consistent with customer application requirements.  The successful candidate will play a crucial role in the development and delivery of photodetector products for both internal (i.e., Luminar) and external customers. 

Responsibilities 

• Interface with internal and external photodetector customers to define requirements for all relevant photodetector device attributes 
• Design photodiode epitaxial wafer structures to meet device requirements targets, including selection of growth technology and strategy for ensuring epi-structures meet their design specifications 
• Design photodiode lateral configuration, including photolithography mask GDS layouts for device fabrication consistent with available process libraries and flow definitions 
• Define device characterization requirements and measurement techniques for obtaining photodetector characterization data 
• Analyze photodetector characterization data to assess conformance with performance requirements 
• Define qualification test strategies to meet customer quality requirements
• Lead failure analysis and root cause corrective actions to eliminate both design-related and fabrication-related failure mechanisms
• Interface closely with both internal and external wafer foundries to support fabrication and delivery of photodetector products 

Minimum Qualifications 

• MS or PhD degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related discipline 
• 3+ years experience designing semiconductor photodetectors 
• Strong subject matter expertise in compound semiconductor photodetector design 
• Strong structured problem-solving skills  
• Strong communications skills, both written and oral 

Preferred Qualifications 

• Broad knowledge of optoelectronic device physics 
• Experience with III-V compound semiconductor photodetector design 
• Proficiency with TCAD tools for semiconductor device fabrication and design 
• Ability to create custom design tools to support specific photodetector design objectives  
• Strong experimental skills for the characterization of semiconductor photodetectors 
• Strong analytical skills for the performance analysis of semiconductor photodetectors 
• Experience with full product development cycle and successful transfer to manufacturing through working in a team environment 
• Experience in defining component reliability and qualification plans 
• Experience with photodetector failure root cause analysis 

Luminar is an equal opportunity employer.  All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, service in the military, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws.  We will make a reasonable accommodation for any qualified applicant with a disability, provided that the individual is otherwise qualified to safely perform the essential functions of the job with or without accommodations and that the accommodations would not impose and undue hardship on the operation of the business.  Please let us know if you believe you require reasonable accommodation, or if you would like assistance to complete an application or to participate in an interview at the company.

At Luminar, your base pay is one part of your total compensation package. This role pays a base between $114,000 -$160,000* per year. Within this range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. You will also be eligible to receive other benefits including: equity in the form of restricted stock unit awards, comprehensive medical and dental coverage, 401k plan, life and disability benefits, flexible time off, paid parental leave, and tuition reimbursement for formal education related to advancing your career at Luminar. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire and schedule type.

*Note that the pay range listed for this position is a good faith and reasonable estimate of the range of possible base compensation at the time of posting.