Hands-on Photonics Characterisation Engineer

Salience Labs; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Salience Labs is seeking a Photonic Characterisation Engineer to drive experimental characterisation of advanced integrated photonic devices. You will design and run experiments, operate optical test equipment, and analyse data with Python to deliver engineering insights.

The role involves die- and wafer-level testing, developing automation scripts, and communicating results to multidisciplinary teams in a hands-on lab environment.

Qualifications

• MSc, PhD or equivalent practical experience in Physics, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a closely related discipline.
• Hands-on experience designing and running experiments in a photonics lab.
• Experience analysing real-world experimental data using Python.
• Familiarity with NumPy, SciPy and pandas for data analysis.
• Strong experimental judgement and ability to turn measurements into engineering conclusions.

Responsibilities

• Design and execute experiments to characterise integrated photonic devices and structures.
• Operate optical and photonic laboratory equipment across measurement setups.
• Carry out die-level and wafer-level testing.
• Analyse experimental data using Python and relevant scientific computing tools.
• Develop scripts and workflows to automate data collection and analysis.
• Translate experimental requirements into practical, repeatable test methodologies.
• Identify measurement issues and troubleshoot experimental setups.
• Validate data quality before inputs to wider engineering teams.
• Produce clear technical reports and summaries from experimental work.
• Collaborate with photonic design, manufacturing and system testing teams.
• Support development and improvement of laboratory processes and automation.
• Take ownership of characterisation tasks with realistic delivery timelines.

Skills

Python

NumPy

SciPy

Pandas

Experiment design

Data analysis

Troubleshooting

Lab equipment operation

Communication

Independent work

Education

MSc/PhD or equivalent in Physics/Photonics/Optical Engineering

Tools

Python tooling

Jupyter

Job description

Salience Labs is seeking a Photonic Characterisation Engineer to drive experimental characterisation of advanced integrated photonic devices. You will design and run experiments, operate optical test equipment, and analyse data with Python to deliver engineering insights.

The role involves die- and wafer-level testing, developing automation scripts, and communicating results to multidisciplinary teams in a hands-on lab environment.