Principal System Engineer

IC Resources; City of Edinburgh; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Visa sponsorship

Job summary

IC Resources is seeking a senior systems engineering leader for an early-stage deep-tech optics company based in Edinburgh. You will own the system architecture across optical, opto-mechanical, electronic and thermal domains, driving it from lab proof to a manufacturable product.

You will manage performance budgets, define interfaces, and lead integration, IVVQ and de-risking activities while collaborating with partners and academic collaborators. Visa sponsorship is available.

Qualifications

• PhD or degree in physics, optical engineering or related field with strong optics grounding.
• Experience with Gaussian optics, beam propagation, interference and polarisation.
• Proven systems engineering across full lifecycle: requirements, architecture, interfaces, IVVQ.
• Hands-on opto-mechanics: tolerancing, mounting, alignment and bonding.
• Experience packaging optics, electronics and mechanics in quantum/photonic domains.

Responsibilities

• Own the system architecture and requirements across optical, opto-mechanical, electronic, thermal and software domains to detailed design.
• Define and manage performance budgets (throughput, wavefront, pointing error, alignment, noise, drift, SWaP).
• Define interfaces and maintain interface control documents.
• Lead integration and packaging of lasers, optics, detectors, electronics and mechanics.
• Lead IVVQ activities including thermal, vibration and shock testing with traceability to requirements.
• Run de-risking experiments and document key design decisions.
• Lead systems engineering work packages on grant-funded projects with partners and suppliers.
• Maintain coherence across disciplines and mentor engineers in systems thinking.

Skills

Gaussian optics

Beam propagation

Interference

Polarisation

Systems engineering

IVVQ

Tolerancing

Kinematic mounting

Thermal management

Vibration analysis

Python

MATLAB

CAD

FEA

Zemax

CODE V

Education

PhD in Physics or Optical Engineering

Degree in Physics or Optical Engineering

Tools

Zemax

CODE V

MATLAB

Python

CAD

FEA

LabVIEW

Job description

Our client is an early-stage deep-tech company developing a new class of optical system for advanced manufacturing, backed by leading venture investors and UK innovation funding.

This is an opportunity to take ownership of the system architecture as the technology moves from lab demonstration to a robust, manufacturable product, bringing optics, opto-mechanics, electronics and thermal management together into one coherent design.

This is an onsite role based in Edinburgh.

Job Responsibilities

• Own the system architecture and requirements decomposition across optical, opto-mechanical, electronic, thermal and software domains, through to detailed design.
• Define and manage performance budgets (throughput, wavefront and pointing error, alignment, noise, drift and SWaP) and lead trade studies towards a manufacturable design.
• Define and control subsystem interfaces and maintain interface control documents.
• Lead the integration and packaging of lasers, optics, detectors, electronics and mechanics into compact, stable assemblies, including tolerancing, alignment, materials and bonding.
• Lead integration, verification, validation and qualification (IVVQ), including thermal, vibration and shock testing, with traceability to requirements.
• Run de-risking experiments and prototypes, and ensure key design decisions are made, recorded and communicated.
• Lead systems engineering work packages on grant-funded projects with partners, suppliers and academic collaborators.
• Keep designs coherent across disciplines and support engineers in developing their systems thinking.

Experience Required

• Degree or PhD in Physics, Optical Engineering or a related discipline, with a strong grounding in Gaussian optics, beam propagation, interference and polarisation.
• Proven systems engineering experience across the full lifecycle: requirements, architecture, interface control, design reviews, risk management and IVVQ.
• Strong hands-on opto-mechanics experience, including tolerancing, kinematic mounting, alignment and bonding, and managing thermal and vibration effects.
• Experience packaging optics, electronics and mechanics together in areas such as quantum technologies, photonics, lasers, space or defence optronics, or precision instruments.
• Extensive cleanroom and lab experience building and characterising low-noise optical systems.
• Working knowledge of laser drivers, detectors, signal chains and temperature control, plus Python and/or MATLAB for modelling and data analysis.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to bridge physicists and engineers in a fast-moving, ambiguous environment.
• Experience with CAD, FEA, Zemax or CODE V, environmental qualification, design for manufacture or MBSE is desirable but not essential.
• Principal-level ownership of the architecture of a new product.
• Direct influence over engineering practice and technical direction in a well-funded, collaborative team.
• Opportunity to take an advanced optical system from lab demonstration through to a qualified, manufacturable platform.
• Visa sponsorship is available