Jobs / United States / Intel Corporation
Senior Photonics Design Engineer
Intel Corporation · 🇺🇸 US, California, Santa Clara
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 1,731 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 1,112 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 Intel Corporation paid sponsored hires in similar roles211 certified filings for “Component Design Engineer” (Electronics Engineers, Except Computer) in CA: $125k–$167k, median $142k. Most were filed at wage level III (43%) — 3 lottery entries, ≈46% 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.
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Sponsor Radar — Intel Corporation
The US Department of Labor certified 1,731 H-1B/E-3 labor condition applications for this employer between Oct 2025 and Jun 2026 (latest Jun 2026) — the step every H-1B hire needs first. USCIS also records 1,112 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 Intel Corporation →
About the role
Job Details: Job Description: The Role and Impact We are seeking a Silicon Photonics Design Engineer specializing in actives design. In this role you will contribute directly to the design, simulation, optimization, and development of advanced photonic components for next-generation optical communication systems. Your day-to-day work will involve collaborating across engineering disciplines to design and validate photonic integrated circuits (PICs) components such as modulators, detectors, lasers, and passive devices, ensuring they meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements. This role offers a unique opportunity to push the boundaries of photonics technology and drive innovation in data center and AI applications. About the Team Intel's Integrated Photonics Solutions (IPS) team is a global leader in silicon photonics integration, pioneering high-performance optical solutions that enable transformative scalability in data center bandwidth and speeds. The team focuses on research, development, and commercialization of advanced photonic technologies that drive Intel's vision of delivering cutting-edge innovations in optical communications and AI-driven systems. Joining IPS means becoming part of an innovative team dedicated to redefining the future of high-volume photonic integration. Key Responsibilities • Design, simulate, and optimize photonic components such as modulators, passive devices, lasers, and detectors for PICs • Conduct tolerance analysis to ensure components maintain reliability and performance under various operating conditions • Lead test chip development, including design, layout, tapeout, testing, and validation processes • Analyze characterization data, identify performance gaps, and develop strategies for optimization and improvement • Develop and refine modeling methodologies for photonic components and propose innovative test approaches • Research emerging photonics technologies to define next-generation architectures and drive intellectual property development • Collaborate with cross-disciplinary engineering teams to align component designs with system-level requirements To Be Successful in This Role, You Should Demonstrate • Strong collaboration skills with the ability to work effectively across engineering disciplines • A proactive approach to problem-solving with a drive to push the boundaries of photonics technology • Strong communication skills to effectively present designs and findings to cross-functional teams Qualifications: Minimum Qualifications Bachelor's or BS degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Science, or a related field, and 6+ years of relevant experience; or Master's degree with 4+ years of relevant experience; or Ph.D. with 2+ years of relevant experience in photonic device design and simulation The experience must include: • Proficiency in optical and RF design and simulation tools such as Lumerical (FDTD, MODE, DEVICE, Interconnect), RSoft, or Tidy3D • Hands-on experience in photonic integrated circuit design, from concept through high-volume manufacturing • Familiarity with photonic test methodologies and equipment, including optical spectrum analyzers, tunable lasers, and optical vector analyzers • Experience managing statistical analysis of photonic test data using tools like JMP or programming languages such as Python or Matlab Preferred Qualifications • Proficiency in layout tools such as Cadence or KLayout for component design and PIC tapeouts • Experience with advanced passive or active silicon photonic components such as ring modulators, Mach-Zehnder interferometers, EAM's/EML's • Knowledge of system-level link modeling, Monte Carlo analysis, and optical coupling solutions • Familiarity with inverse design methodologies