Senior Photonics Design Engineer

Salience Labs; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Salience Labs is a deep‑tech company advancing optical circuit switching for AI infrastructure in UK data centres. The role focuses on designing, optimizing, and developing high‑performance photonic components for next‑gen Photonic Integrated Circuits (PICs) and core IP roadmap.

You will collaborate with photonics designers, layout engineers, and testing teams to improve device performance through theory, simulation, and experimental validation.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in Photonics, Physics, Optical Engineering or related field.
• Typically 5+ years in integrated photonic device design.
• Strong understanding of guided optics and device physics.
• Hands-on experience designing and simulating photonic components.
• Experience with silicon photonics or InP platforms.
• Experience in R&D or product development environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and optimisation of integrated photonic components for silicon photonics and PIC platforms.
• Perform electromagnetic simulations and modelling to improve device performance.
• Validate simulations with experimental data.
• Develop innovative component designs informed by research.
• Collaborate with layout engineers to integrate components into PDKs and tape-out flows.
• Work with fabrication and testing teams to iterate device performance.
• Set roadmap for future photonic components and architectures.
• Drive long-term PIC loss, manufacturability, and scalability improvements.
• Lead design reviews and cross-functional problem solving.
• Mentor engineers in photonic design and simulation.

Skills

Photonics design

Silicon photonics

InP photonics

Python programming

Simulation tools

Tape-out experience

Cross-functional teamwork

Device physics

Education

PhD in Photonics

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.

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.

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.