Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Salience Labs; Oxford; On-site; GBP 52,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

Salience Labs Limited in the UK is seeking an Opto-mechanical Engineer to join its Manufacturing team. You will design, validate, and produce opto-mechanical assemblies and mounts, translating optical designs into robust hardware for scalable production.

Based in Oxford, you will work across CAD, optical modelling, and prototyping, collaborating with hardware, manufacturing engineering teams and vendors worldwide to ensure production-ready solutions and reliable alignment.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands-on experience with SolidWorks.
• 2+ years of hands-on experience with Zemax or similar optical design software.
• Solid understanding of optics fundamentals (alignment, tolerances, beam propagation).
• Experience in opto-mechanical, mechanical, or optical engineering.
• Ability to perform tolerance stack-up analysis.

Responsibilities

• Design opto-mechanical components and assemblies using SolidWorks.
• Model and analyse optical systems and tolerances using Zemax.
• Translate optical design requirements into manufacturable mechanical designs.
• Perform tolerance analysis to ensure optical alignment and performance across manufacturing variation.
• Build and test prototypes to validate opto-mechanical designs against optical performance targets.
• Support fibre-to-chip and free-space alignment integration for photonic assemblies.
• Collaborate with manufacturing team and vendors to ensure designs are production-ready.

Skills

SolidWorks

Zemax

Optics fundamentals

Tolerance analysis

Hands-on lab experience

Troubleshooting

Clear communication

Travel to vendor sites

Tools

SolidWorks

Zemax

Job description

Job Overview

We are looking for an Opto-mechanical Engineer to join our Manufacturing team and play a critical role in the design, integration, and manufacturing of opto-mechanical systems for our photonic products. This role will sit at the intersection of mechanical design, optics, and manufacturing, helping us translate optical designs into robust, manufacturable hardware. You will take ownership of designing and validating opto-mechanical assemblies, including mounts, and alignment structures for optical and photonic components. You will work closely with Hardware, and manufacturing engineering teams as well as vendors from across the world to ensure designs are optically sound, mechanically robust, and ready for scalable production. This is a highly hands‑on engineering role suited to someone comfortable moving between CAD design, optical modelling, and physical prototyping and testing. You will be expected to troubleshoot mechanical and optical integration issues, iterate on designs quickly, and help establish repeatable, production‑ready opto‑mechanical solutions. Fresh graduates with strong relevant project, internship, or academic experience are welcome to apply.

What You'll Be Doing

• Design opto-mechanical components and assemblies (mounts, housings, brackets, alignment stages) using SolidWorks
• Model and analyse optical systems and tolerances using Zemax
• Translate optical design requirements into manufacturable mechanical designs
• Perform tolerance analysis to ensure optical alignment and performance across manufacturing variation
• Build and test prototypes to validate opto-mechanical designs against optical performance targets
• Support fibre‑to‑chip and free‑space alignment integration for photonic assemblies
• Work closely with manufacturing team and vendors to ensure designs are suitable for production and assembly
• Investigate and resolve mechanical or thermal issues affecting optical performance (e.g. misalignment, drift, stress‑induced effects)
• Create and maintain design documentation, drawings, and version‑controlled files
• Collaborate with suppliers on machining, coatings, and assembly processes
• Support root cause analysis for opto‑mechanical failures identified in test or field use

What We're Looking For

• Proficiency in SolidWorks for mechanical design and drafting (2+ years of hands‑on experience)
• Experience with Zemax or similar optical design/simulation software (2+ years of hands‑on experience)
• Solid understanding of optics fundamentals (alignment, tolerances, beam propagation, focusing)
• Some industrial, internship, or substantial project experience in opto‑mechanical, mechanical, or optical engineering
• Ability to perform tolerance stack‑up analysis for optical and mechanical systems
• Comfortable working hands‑on in laboratory and prototyping environments (hands‑on lab /manufacturing experience)
• Strong troubleshooting mindset with a practical, iterative approach to engineering
• Ability to communicate clearly with cross‑functional engineering teams
• Able to travel to vendor sites to transfer knowledge and troubleshoot problems.

Even Better If You Have

• Experience with photonic or semiconductor packaging and assembly
• Familiarity with fibre alignment, free‑space optics, or laser‑based systems
• Experience with thermal or structural analysis (FEA) as it relates to optical performance
• Exposure to manufacturing or production environments
• Understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, and its application to precision optical assemblies
• Familiarity with material selection for optical and thermal stability

We are open to candidates from Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or related technical disciplines. Fresh graduates with strong relevant experience through projects, internships, or research are encouraged to apply.

This is an opportunity to work on genuinely challenging problems across optics, mechanics, and manufacturing, with direct influence on how advanced AI hardware is designed and built.

You will also have access to cutting‑edge equipment, collaborative engineering teams, and the chance to help shape opto‑mechanical design capability from the ground up.

Salience Labs Limited is a leader in photonic solutions targeting connectivity for AI datacenter infrastructure.

Backed by over a decade of research from the University of Oxford in the UK and the University of Münster in Germany, Salience’s innovative developments in photonic switching technology enable high‑speed, ultra‑low latency networking fabrics that remove infrastructure bottlenecks for AI workloads.