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PHY Layer Engineer
Velmenni is a leading Optical Wireless Communication (OWC) company developing LiFi and Free-Space Optical (FSO) technologies for next-generation high-speed wireless networks. We combine communication theory, signal processing, FPGA acceleration, and photonics to build real-world optical communication systems. Our team works across the full innovation cycle—from research and simulation to hardware prototyping and deployment—creating technologies that complement and extend traditional RF-based wireless networks. This is an R&D position. You will own the design, development, and experimental validation of physical layer algorithms for LiFi and Free-Space Optical (FSO) communication systems — from theoretical formulation and simulation through to FPGA prototyping. Publishing and prototyping are both expected.
Responsibilities
• Design and develop PHY algorithms for LiFi and FSO — modulation (OOK, PPM, DCO-OFDM, ACO-OFDM), channel coding (LDPC, Polar, RS), and synchronisation
• Model and simulate optical wireless channels: atmospheric turbulence, pointing errors, IM/DD receiver noise, ambient light interference, and LED/laser non-linearities
• Build end-to-end link-level simulation chains in MATLAB or Python and evaluate BER, throughput, and spectral efficiency under realistic conditions
• Implement validated algorithms on FPGA — translate fixed-point models into RTL or HLS; own algorithm correctness through hardware validation
• Write bit-exact C/C++ reference models to support hardware verification
• Track and engage with relevant standards: IEEE 802.11bb (LiFi), ITU-T FSO, and adjacent wireless standards Required
• M.Tech, M.S., or Ph.D. in ECE, Electrical Engineering, Signal Processing, or a related field — thesis or research in optical wireless, VLC, or wireless communications is a strong indicator • Strong fundamentals in digital communications: modulation, channel coding, detection, estimation, and synchronisation
• Hands-on experience building PHY simulations from scratch in MATLAB or Python — not just toolboxes
• Solid understanding of OFDM: multipath channels, cyclic prefix, pilot design, and channel estimation
• Fixed-point thinking — ability to design algorithms aware of hardware quantisation and implementation cost • FPGA awareness: understand LUT/DSP/BRAM trade-offs, pipelining, and timing well enough to make hardware-friendly algorithm decisions
• Familiarity with VHDL or Verilog to write or review RTL for PHY blocks
• Exposure to AMD/Xilinx Vivado — simulation, synthesis, and reading timing and resource reports
• Working knowledge of at least one wireless or optical wireless standard; ability to read and implement from spec documents
Preferred
• Experience with 3Gpp, IEEE 802.11bb (LiFi) or ITU FSO link specifications
• Optical channel modelling: log-normal turbulence, Gamma-Gamma distribution, pointing error statistics
• LED non-linearity, predistortion, and flicker mitigation for VLC systems
• Optical MIMO, spatial diversity techniques, and APD / PIN photodetector front-end modelling
• Cellular or 5G NR PHY background — OFDM, LDPC, channel coding chain
• SDR platforms: Ettus USRP and GNU Radio for over-the-air prototyping
• Linux environment and Python / Bash scripting for toolchain automation
• Vitis HLS or OpenCL-based FPGA acceleration flows
• Publications in IEEE Photonics, IEEE Communications Letters, JOCN, or equivalent venues
Research Profile
We are open to two archetypes: • M.Tech or PhD with thesis in VLC, OWC, optical OFDM, or wireless channel modelling — research output matters more than years of industry experience • Wireless PHY engineer from industry looking to move into R&D — trainable on the optical wireless domain if the PHY and FPGA fundamentals are strong
