Jobs / United States / Lightmatter INC
Staff Embedded Software Engineer
Lightmatter INC · 🇺🇸 Boston, MA; Mountain View, CA
Sponsorship verdict
Sponsorship possible
One solid signal, not two — worth applying, and worth asking about sponsorship early.
- Employer is on a government sponsor recordThe US Department of Labor certified 21 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest May 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 1 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
- The posting doesn’t mention sponsorshipSilence isn’t a refusal — ask the recruiter before investing much time.
- No salary bar for this routeH-1B has no fixed salary bar: the employer must pay at least the prevailing wage for the role and area. Cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level. Source: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/12/29/2025-23853/weighted-selection-process-for-registrants-and-petitioners-seeking-to-file-cap-subject-h-1b, rules effective 2026-02-27.
- What Lightmatter INC paid sponsored hires in similar roles2 certified filings for “Staff Embedded Software Engineer” (Software Developers) in CA: $215k–$215k, median $215k. Most were filed at wage level II (100%) — 2 lottery entries, ≈31% projected selection odds for cap-subject employers. Source: US Department of Labor LCA disclosure data (Oct 2025 – Jun 2026).
- Confirmed live todayWhen a source last listed this job as open.
US H-1B: cap-subject employers enter a lottery weighted by wage level — Level I gets 1 entry, Level IV gets 4 (DHS projected selection odds ≈15% at Level I to ≈61% at Level IV). Universities and non-profit research employers are cap-exempt. The $100,000 fee for new petitions from abroad is currently blocked by a court order (appeal pending).
A verdict summarises public evidence; it is not legal advice and never a guarantee — the employer and the immigration authority decide. Sign in to factor in where you can already work.
Or apply yourself on the official page →
Sponsor Radar — Lightmatter INC
The US Department of Labor certified 21 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest May 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 1 H-1B approvals in FY2023. Source: LCA disclosure data (US Department of Labor (OFLC)).
Past sponsorship or register membership never guarantees sponsorship for this vacancy or for you. Full Sponsor Radar for Lightmatter INC →
About the role
Lightmatter is leading the revolution in AI data center infrastructure, enabling the next giant leaps in human progress. The company invented the world’s first 3D-stacked photonics engine, Passage™, capable of connecting thousands to millions of processors at the speed of light in extreme-scale data centers for the most advanced AI and HPC workloads. Lightmatter raised $400 million in its Series D round, reaching a valuation of $4.4 billion. We will continue to accelerate the development of data center photonics and grow every department at Lightmatter! If you're passionate about tackling complex challenges, making an impact, and being an expert in your craft, join our team of brilliant scientists, engineers, and accomplished industry leaders. Lightmatter is (re)inventing the future of computing with light! We are hiring a talented software engineer to help us build the next generation of photonic AI processors and interconnects. In this role, you will be responsible for developing and extending the device software and firmware stack for Photonic Compute and Photonic interconnect products. You will collaborate with other software teams and hardware systems teams to develop security, telemetry, virtualization, and remote administration functionality. Responsibilities • Collaborate across a multidisciplinary team including Photonic, Analog, Digital, Systems and Network experts to define control plane architecture for Lightmatter's photonic interconnect products. • Define diagnostics and monitoring architecture for photonic transceivers. • Integrate with DataCenter administration capabilities using environments such as CMIS, OpenBMC and DMTF. • Debug and troubleshoot embedded systems using tools such as GDB, JTAG, and logic analyzers. • Participate in customer engagements to gather requirements and usability criteria. Qualifications • BS and 8+ years of experience, or MS and 6+ years of experience. • Degree in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Robotics, or a related technical field. • Industry experience with device driver and kernel side development. • Strong understanding of hardware-software integration. • Practical knowledge of communication and control in embedded systems, peripherals, and buses. • Experience with developing commercial/enterprise-level software and firmware on Linux. • Experience with Git and CMake for building and managing software projects. • Hands-on experience designing, simulating, or deploying control of autonomous systems. Preferred Qualifications • Proficiency with Python or C++. • Familiarity with debugging tools such as GDB, JTAG, and logic analyzers. • Experience developing firmware for photonic transceivers or similar systems. • Experience with environments such as CMIS, OpenBMC and DMTF. • Experience with optical communication systems and technologies. We offer competitive compensation. The base salary range for this role determined based on location, experience, educational background, and market data. Salary Range: total compensation goes beyond base salary, it also includes a new hire equity grant, annual performance-based equity, and other rewards that recognize your impact and contribution. $175,000 — $220,000 USD Benefits • Comprehensive Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision) • Retirement Savings Matching Program • Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D) • Generous Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays) • Paid Family Leave • Short Term & Long Term Disability • Training & Development • Commuter Benefits • Flexible, hybrid workplace model • Equity grants (applicable to full-time employees) Benefits eligibility may vary depending on your employment status and location. Lightmatter recruits, employs, trains, compensates, and promotes regard