Senior Photonics Design Engineer

Salience Labs Ltd; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Salience Labs Ltd is seeking a senior photonics specialist to lead the design and optimization of integrated photonic components for silicon PIC platforms. You will perform electromagnetic simulations, validate results with measurements, and push innovative designs into tape-out pipelines.

You will collaborate across photonics designers, layout, fabrication, and testing teams to improve device performance and scalability, while guiding junior engineers and staying at the forefront of photonics

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related field.
• Typically 5+ years of integrated photonics device design experience, including tape-out and measurement.
• Strong theoretical understanding of guided optics and photonic device physics.
• Hands-on experience designing and simulating integrated photonic components.
• Experience with silicon photonics or InP platforms.
• Strong analytical and mathematical problem solving.
• Track record of publications, patents, or shipped technology.
• Experience using photonic simulation tools and modelling workflows.
• Python programming for simulation, analysis, or automation.
• Deep understanding of Photonic IC design and fabrication flows.
• Knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes.
• Experience in commercial R&D or product development environments.
• Experience mentoring or guiding other engineers.
• Strong communication skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to work in multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and optimisation of integrated photonic components for silicon photonics and related PIC platforms.
• Perform electromagnetic simulations, modelling, and theoretical analysis to improve device performance.
• Validate simulation results against experimental measurement data.
• Develop innovative component designs informed by current research and emerging techniques.
• Collaborate with layout engineers to integrate components into PDK libraries and tape-out flows.
• Work closely with fabrication and testing teams to iterate on device performance.
• Lead the development roadmap for future photonic components and architectures.
• Drive long term improvements in PIC loss, manufacturability, and scalability.
• Lead technical discussions, design reviews, and cross functional problem solving.
• Mentor and guide other engineers in photonic design and simulation practice.
• Stay current with advances in integrated photonics through research literature and conferences.

Skills

Photonic design & simulation

Python programming

Multidisciplinary collaboration

Problem solving & analytical thinking

Communication skills

Mentoring or guiding engineers

Education

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

5+ years in integrated photonics device design

Tools

Photonic simulation tools

Job description

About us

Salience Labs is developing optical circuit switching technology for AI infrastructure, aimed at significantly reducing latency and cost in data centre networks. As we move towards real-world deployment, you’ll have genuine ownership of your area, working alongside a highly technical team of physicists, engineers and software specialists on one of the hardest problems in AI infrastructure.

Job Overview

This role will focus on the design, optimisation, and development of high performance photonic components for next generation Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs), contributing directly to our future tape-outs and core IP roadmap.

You will work closely with photonics designers, layout engineers, and testing teams to improve the performance of integrated photonic devices through theoretical analysis, simulation, modelling, and design innovation.

This is a highly technical role suited to someone who enjoys solving difficult physics and engineering problems in a collaborative deep-tech environment. You will take a lead role in the development of key building blocks within our optical switching and photonic systems roadmap, and other integrated photonic components critical to future high port count architectures.

What you’ll be doing

• Lead the design and optimisation of integrated photonic components for silicon photonics and related PIC platforms

• Perform electromagnetic simulations, modelling, and theoretical analysis to improve device performance

• Validate simulation results against experimental measurement data

• Develop innovative component designs informed by current research and emerging techniques

• Collaborate with layout engineers to integrate components into PDK libraries and tape-out flows

• Work closely with fabrication and testing teams to iterate on device performance

• Lead the development roadmap for future photonic components and architectures

• Drive long term improvements in PIC loss, manufacturability, and scalability

• Lead technical discussions, design reviews, and cross functional problem solving

• Mentor and guide other engineers in photonic design and simulation practice

• Stay current with advances in integrated photonics through research literature and conferences

What we’re looking for

• PhD, or equivalent industry experience, in Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a closely related field

• Typically 5+ years of relevant experience in integrated photonic device design, including taking designs through to tape-out and measurement

• Strong theoretical understanding of guided optics and photonic device physics

• Hands‑on experience designing and simulating integrated photonic components

• Experience working with silicon photonics or InP photonic platforms

• Strong analytical and mathematical problem solving capability

• A track record of meaningful technical contributions, whether through publications, patents, or shipped technology

• Experience using photonic simulation tools and modelling workflows

• Python programming experience for simulation, analysis, or automation

• Deep understanding of Photonic IC design and fabrication flows

• Knowledge of semiconductor manufacturing processes

• Experience working in commercial R&D or product development environments

• Experience mentoring or technically guiding other engineers

• Strong communication skills and attention to detail

• Ability to work effectively within multidisciplinary engineering teams

You will join a highly ambitious deep-tech company operating at the intersection of AI infrastructure, semiconductors, and photonics. We are building foundational technology with the potential to reshape the performance envelope of future AI systems.

Alongside a collaborative and research-driven environment, you will have the opportunity to work on genuinely difficult engineering problems with direct impact on product direction and company growth.

If you’re excited by integrated photonics, advanced device design, and solving hard engineering problems at the frontier of AI infrastructure, we’d love to hear from you.