2023-06-05T17:54:21-04:00 X, The Moonshot Factory
Research Scientist - Photonic Inverse Design, Early Stage Project, X
Software Engineering
Mountain View, CA (HQ)

X is Alphabet’s moonshot factory. We are a diverse group of inventors and entrepreneurs who build and launch technologies that aim to improve the lives of millions, even billions, of people. Our goal: 10x impact on the world’s most intractable problems, not just 10% improvement. We approach projects that have the aspiration and riskiness of research with the speed and ambition of a startup.

The Team:

We are exploring automated design for electromagnetic devices. This capability could enable applications ranging from integrated photonics to metasurfaces, and requires technical developments in ultra-large-scale simulators, novel optimization schemes, and prototyping/fabrication capabilities. This effort is focused on inventing fundamentally new technologies with the ambition of bringing disruptive products to market.

The Role:

We are seeking motivated individuals who enjoy working in small, interdisciplinary team environments, have a growth mindset, a passion for problem-solving directed at achieving meaningful breakthroughs in technology, and are comfortable with uncertainty and exploration.

In this full time role, you will join our research and development team to build, test, evaluate, and scale state-of-the-art constrained optimizers, leveraging Google infrastructure. You will contribute to tapeout planning and experiment design and will have the opportunity to propose and pursue new applications of our technology within integrated photonics, and beyond. You will also help to implement novel simulation techniques for electromagnetic and optical devices and to develop data-driven and physics-based models for integrated device manufacturing.

 

What you should have:

  • PhD in applied physics, electrical engineering, computer science, or a related field
  • Research experience involving electromagnetic modeling / simulation or photonic device design and optimization, demonstrated by track record of publications
  • Experience in spearheading research projects from start to finish, including the conception of ideas, formation of hypotheses, experiment design, analyses, and iteration
  • Strong Python coding experience with an emphasis on software development best practices including code organization, testing, and readability
  • Experience with the Python numerical and scientific computing stack (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, etc.)
  • Experience with modern machine learning libraries such as JAX, TensorFlow, or PyTorch
  • Solid written and verbal technical communication skills

It’d be great if you also had these:

  • Past work or research experience involving differentiable physics simulators, “physics for machine learning,” or “machine learning for physics”
  • Experience with topology optimization or in applying constrained optimization techniques and algorithms (e.g. global optimization, local optimization, combinatorial optimization)
  • Demonstrated contributions to open source projects in the area of scientific computing or machine learning
  • Experience taping out and measuring photonic devices and systems, either in industry or in academic labs

The US base salary range for this full-time position is $133,000 - $202,000 bonus + equity + benefits. Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your location during the hiring process.

Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and do not include bonus, equity, or benefits.

At X, we don't just accept difference - we celebrate it, we support it, and we thrive on it for the benefit of our employees, our products and our community. We are proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. We also consider qualified applicants regardless of criminal histories, consistent with legal requirements.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please contact us at: x-accommodation-request@x.team.

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