Lab Technician

Salience Labs; Oxford; On-site; GBP 30,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading photonics R&D firm in Oxford is seeking an organised Lab Technician to manage lab operations and support optical computing developments. Responsibilities include lab safety, procurement, and assisting with assembly and testing of photonic systems. Requires a Bachelor's in Physics or Electronic Engineering and at least 2 years of relevant experience. This role offers a collaborative environment with a focus on cutting-edge AI hardware development.

Qualifications

• At least 2 years of practical experience in a lab-based technical role.
• Familiarity with optical and electronic test equipment and data analysis tools.
• Excellent organisational and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintain organisation and safety compliance across labs.
• Manage inventories of supplies and components.
• Support assembly, testing, and characterisation of photonic test systems.
• Train colleagues on lab equipment and safety procedures.

Skills

Organisational skills

Python scripting

Experience with optical and electronic test equipment

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in Physics or Electronic Engineering

Tools

Optical spectrum analysers

Power meters

Laser sources

CAD software (Fusion or SolidWorks)

Job description

Job Overview

We are looking for a highly organised, hands-on Lab Technician to manage the daily operations of our photonics R&D and testing laboratories in Oxford. This role is crucial in supporting our engineering teams as they push the boundaries of optical computing and high-performance AI hardware.

You’ll be responsible for lab organisation, safety, and procurement while also contributing directly to assembly, testing, and characterisation of photonic systems. With three to four days a week expected on-site, this is a role for someone who thrives in a technical lab environment, enjoys working with precision equipment, and takes pride in creating safe and efficient conditions for experimental work.

Responsibilities

• Maintain organisation, cleanliness, and safety compliance across our labs.
• Manage inventories of supplies, components, and consumables.
• Coordinate procurement activities.
• Spot and resolve process inefficiencies.
• Support assembly, testing, and characterisation of photonic test systems.
• Operate lab equipment such as optical spectrum analysers, power meters, fibre alignment stations, interferometers, and laser sources.
• Use optical and electronic test and measurement equipment confidently.
• Work with engineers to improve experimental setups and support automation through scripting.
• Train colleagues on lab equipment and safety procedures.
• Recommend and implement upgrades to lab infrastructure.
• Provide hands-on support for research and testing activities.

What we're looking for

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Electronic Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• At least 2 years of practical experience in a lab-based technical role.
• Familiarity with optical and electronic test equipment and data analysis tools.
• Strong background in Python for scripting or automation.
• Excellent organisational and documentation skills, with clear communication.

Even better if you

• Have knowledge of optical components, alignment techniques, and laser safety.
• Bring experience with high-speed optoelectronic device design and characterisation.
• Are confident with advanced equipment such as oscilloscopes, waveform generators, or precision stages.
• Have worked with photonic integrated circuits (PICs), lasers, modulators, or detectors.
• Can use CAD software such as Fusion or SolidWorks.
• Have experience with automation protocols like LXI or SCPI.

This is a chance to contribute directly to frontier R&D, supporting the development of optical systems that will redefine AI hardware. If you enjoy building and maintaining world-class labs and want to be part of a collaborative, pioneering team, we’d love to hear from you.