Senior Systems Engineer
Opsydia
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Benefits offered by this job
Job summary
Opsydia in Oxford is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to lead the development of next-generation laser-photonics products. This role involves system-level ownership, architecture design, and integration across various domains. Ideal candidates will have a strong background in photonics or laser systems, as well as experience in precision instrumentation.
The position offers hybrid working arrangements, a competitive salary of £54,000-£58,000, and comprehensive benefits including private medical insurance and a pension scheme.
Qualifications
- Deep technical background with experience in photonics, laser systems, or precision instrumentation.
- Accountability for delivering complex projects from concept to deployment.
- Experience with industrial-grade system integration.
Responsibilities
- Lead system architecture from concept through design and verification.
- Develop system-level specifications and performance budgets.
- Ensure compliance with laser safety standards.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
Are you the next Senior Systems Engineer to help build and shape the architecture behind our next‑generation laser processing platform? If so, Opsydia would love to hear from you as we expand into new markets and unlock new technical opportunities.
Spun out from the University of Oxford in 2017, Opsydia is a specialist laser technology company harnessing decades of academic excellence and deep expertise in adaptive optics to enable the writing of features in transparent materials. Our writing technology has gone on to provide functionalities across scientific and industrial domains.
Our platform enables the creation of functional devices in optical glass, diamond, and other transparent media, powering disruptive applications in datacoms, quantum technologies, and advanced sensing.
As a Senior Systems Engineer, you will take full system‑level ownership of Opsydia’s next‑generation laser‑photonics products. This is a technical leadership role spanning architecture, integration, verification, and productization, ensuring that complex opto‑electro‑mechanical subsystems come together into robust, high‑performance solutions.
You will lead the definition, design, and delivery of complete systems, balancing photonics, precision mechanics, automation, software, reliability engineering, and manufacturability. Working across early‑stage R&D, customer engagements, and product development, you will play a key role in shaping Opsydia’s technical roadmap and maturing prototypes into deliverable, field‑ready products.
- Lead system architecture from concept through requirements, detailed design, prototyping, verification, and release.
- Develop system‑level specifications, performance budgets, and risk models across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software domains.
- Define and drive processes for system integration, validation, and troubleshooting.
- Integrate and optimise femtosecond laser sources for high‑precision laser‑matter interaction applications.
- Collaborate with laser manufacturers to define specifications, validate performance, and ensure long‑term stability and repeatability.
- Manage system‑level trade‑offs involving beam delivery, adaptive optics, power stability, thermal management, and alignment tolerances.
- Architect and integrate high‑precision motion systems (piezo, air‑bearing, linear motor) with sub‑micron or nanometre‑level stability.
- Oversee opto‑mechanical design for robustness in industrial environments, ensuring vibration control, thermal stability, and reliability.
- Work closely with the Software Team to achieve coordinated laser–stage performance.
- Combine lasers, adaptive optics, motion control, electronics, and machine vision into fully functional, production‑ready systems.
- Use optical modelling and simulation tools to optimise performance and minimise error sources.
- Develop verification plans, test procedures, and system‑level fault analysis frameworks.
- Define system‑level control methodologies and sequencing alongside the Software Team.
- Ensure full compliance with international laser safety standards and implement appropriate interlocks, monitoring, and diagnostic features.
- Contribute to automation and workflow design that enhances stability, repeatability, and throughput.
You will have a deep technical background with extensive experience in photonics, laser systems, or precision instrumentation, ideally holding an advanced degree (Ph.D. or Master’s) in Physics, Optical Engineering, or a related field. You take full accountability for delivering complex projects from concept to deployment, ensuring technical excellence and timely execution within a collaborative team environment.
- Expertise in ultrafast laser applications, including femtosecond systems and adaptive optics.
- Proven experience developing and integrating precision motion‑controlled stages for high‑accuracy processes.
- Strong background in photonics‑based applications, from fibre coupling to photonic integrated circuits.
- Ability to architect and optimise complex optical systems, including adaptive optics and machine vision elements.
- A proactive, solution‑oriented approach to technical challenges.
- Exceptional organisational, documentation, and communication skills for cross‑functional collaboration.
For this senior role, we expect applicants with significant experience in metrology, optics, and control systems, ideally with exposure to industrial‑grade system integration and supplier engagement.
- Practical knowledge of adaptive optics for beam shaping and correction.
- Expertise in waveguide fabrication or optical fibre performance characterization.
- Familiarity with mechanical design and optical simulation tools.
- Proven ability to configure and optimise precision motion control systems (piezo, air‑bearing, interferometric feedback).
- Competence in automation and scripting for system control (Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW).
- Experience with advanced microscopy and analytical techniques.
- Track record of developing products and producing documentation for regulatory compliance.
- Understanding of intellectual property development and technology protection strategies.
- Previous involvement in project planning, risk assessment, and technical reporting.
If you don't meet all of the criteria above, but are interested in the role, please apply or get in touch to discuss further.
Salary range: £54,000-£58,000 dependant on experience.
- Hybrid & flexible working arrangements
- Private Medical Insurance
- Group Income Protection and Life Assurance
- Enhanced family leave
- Company matched pension contributions up to 5%. Salary sacrifice arrangement is available
- Cycle to Work Scheme
- Mental Health and Wellbeing support and activities
- Supported further study or training for your professional and personal development
- Volunteering opportunities
We are an equal opportunities employer and commit to encouraging equality, diversity and inclusion in the workplace whilst creating an environment which promotes dignity and respect for all. We post our job descriptions across a wide range of recruitment platforms to enable us to garner the most diverse range of candidates we possibly can.
We are dedicated to putting in place any reasonable adjustments that may be required to meet the needs of those who wish to apply for a position at Opsydia.
Please share if you have a declared disability, for example but not limited to: a social communication impairment such as autism spectrum disorder, a specific learning difficulty such as dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD; a mental health condition, a sensory impairment affecting sight or hearing or a physical or mobility impairment.
We can provide our job descriptions in an alternative format of video or audio description
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