Photonic Layout Engineer

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

Job summary

Salience Labs is seeking a Photonic Layout Engineer to join its Photonics team in the UK. You will design and verify physical layouts for integrated photonic devices, translating device requirements into fabrication-ready layouts and contributing to automation workflows.

You will work with cross-disciplinary teams to ensure robust layouts and scalable processes, leveraging Python and layout tools. This hybrid role offers hands-on design with career progression from mid to senior levels.

Qualifications

• Experience in integrated photonics layout and verification.
• Strong programming ability in Python.
• Understanding of photonic device design and fabrication flows.
• Ability to translate requirements into fabrication-ready layouts.

Responsibilities

• Develop physical layouts for integrated photonic components.
• Translate photonic device and circuit requirements into fabrication-ready layouts.
• Perform design verification, including DRC and LVS.
• Develop and improve software-based workflows for photonic layout and design automation.

Skills

Physical layout

Python

DRC LVS

IC layout

Team collaboration

Education

Bachelor's in Physics/Photonics/EE

Tools

Python-based layout tools

EDA software

Job description

Job Overview:

We are looking for a Photonic Layout Engineer to join our Photonics team and contribute to the physical design, verification and development of advanced integrated photonic devices.

You will work closely with engineers across photonic design, layout and testing, helping translate device and circuit requirements into robust, fabrication‑ready layouts. The role will involve a combination of physical layout, design verification, programming and continuous improvement of our internal design workflows.

This is a hands‑on engineering role for someone who enjoys working at the intersection of integrated photonics, semiconductor design and software. You should be comfortable working through complex layout challenges, interpreting design requirements and using programming to improve the speed, quality and repeatability of engineering work.

Depending on your experience, you may join at Mid or Senior level. We are particularly interested in people who have worked on integrated photonics or semiconductor IC layout, whether in industry, research or a strong academic environment.

What you\'ll be doing:

• Develop physical layouts for integrated photonic components, structures and larger photonic designs
• Translate photonic device and circuit requirements into fabrication‑ready layouts
• Perform design verification, including DRC and LVS
• Support designs through the full layout and verification process
• Develop and improve software‑based workflows for photonic layout and design automation
• Use Python and relevant semiconductor or photonic design tools to create, manipulate and verify layouts
• Maintain and contribute to internal component and design libraries
• Support the development of appropriate test and characterisation structures
• Review layouts for design integrity, fabrication constraints and potential sources of failure
• Collaborate closely with photonic design, testing and wider engineering teams
• Contribute to improvements in layout methodology, tooling and verification processes
• Help make photonic design workflows increasingly repeatable, reliable and efficient

Over time, you will take ownership of increasingly complex layout work, progressing from individual components and structures through to larger integrated photonic designs and full design verification.

What we\'re looking for:

• A Bachelor\'s degree or equivalent in Physics, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or another closely related technical discipline
• Relevant experience in integrated photonics, photonic IC layout, semiconductor IC layout or design verification
• Hands‑on experience creating physical IC or photonic layouts using Python or other layout and EDA software
• Strong programming capability, ideally with experience in Python or another relevant programming language
• The ability to explain and discuss software or coding projects you have worked on in detail
• A good understanding of integrated photonics or the broader semiconductor IC industry
• Working knowledge of photonic IC design and fabrication flows
• An understanding of how physical layout decisions interact with device design, fabrication and performance
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams
• Strong critical thinking and attention to detail, particularly when reviewing layouts and resolving verification issues
• Clear communication skills and the ability to explain technical decisions and trade‑offs

For more experienced candidates, we would typically expect around two or more years of relevant work in integrated photonics or IC layout and verification. Candidates with particularly strong academic, research or project experience may also be considered where they can demonstrate the required practical capability.

Even better if you:

• A Master\’s degree or PhD in integrated photonics, photonics, electrical engineering, physics or a related discipline
• Hands‑on experience with Python-based layout automation
• Experience with photonic or semiconductor EDA tools
• Familiarity with common integrated photonic devices and structures
• Knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes and fabrication technologies
• Experience developing or maintaining component or PDK libraries
• Previous involvement in photonic or semiconductor design cycles
• Experience working with DRC and LVS verification
• Experience working within a commercial product development environment
• A background in photonic device design or semiconductor process development

Relevant backgrounds could include integrated photonics design and layout teams, silicon photonics research groups, university or research institute environments, or semiconductor IC layout and verification teams.

This is an opportunity to work on genuinely challenging problems across photonics, semiconductor engineering and software, with meaningful ownership over the quality and effectiveness of physical design.

You will join a highly collaborative engineering environment where you can influence not just individual designs, but also the methods, tools and processes used to develop advanced photonic hardware.

The role is based in the UK on a hybrid basis, with three days per week on site.