Photonics Experimental & Fabrication Engineer

The Role

You will be deeply hands‑on with active photonic test setups, automated measurement, data analysis, and debugging complex experimental behaviour involving:

optical power, phase, and frequency

detector noise and bandwidth

laser dynamics, stability, and drift

nonlinear or bias‑dependent effects

Cleanroom experience is valuable - but your impact here comes from how you design experiments, interrogate data, and extract physical insight, not from running processes.

What You’ll Do

Experimental ownership (active & nonlinear systems)

Design, build, and improve experiments involving:

lasers and optical sources

photodetectors and readout chains

active PIC components and biasing

nonlinear or power‑dependent effects

Run automated wafer‑scale and lot‑scale measurements

Characterise behaviour across:

bias points

optical power

temperature

time (drift, ageing, stability).

Work late when experiments demand it - then automate so you don’t repeat heroics

Invent new experimental or analysis approaches when behaviour is messy or non‑ideal

Data & analysis (non‑negotiable)

Analyse large experimental datasets with strong statistical discipline

Quantify and separate:

noise sources

drift mechanisms

nonlinearities

cross‑coupling effects.

Correlate results to:

design intent

simulation assumptions

fabrication and process variation

metrology and electrical readout.

Write substantial Python for:

data processing

automation

experiment control

model validation

Fabrication‑aware insight

Use fabrication knowledge to:

interpret variation intelligently

identify real yield and performance limiters

distinguish process effects from physics

Avoid the trap of blaming fabrication for lack of understanding

Feed insight back into design, simulation, and architecture decisions

Cross‑domain collaboration

Work closely with photonics design, process, electronics, FPGA, and systems engineers

Ensure experimental results directly inform:

design updates

simulation models

biasing strategies

future system architectures

Required Background

You must have:

Strong hands‑on experimental experience with photonic systems, including:

lasers

photodetectors

PICs or fibre‑based waveguides

Comfort working with active and bias‑dependent behaviour, not just passive components

Fabrication or process‑development experience used analytically

Demonstrated Python coding ability beyond trivial scripts

Comfort handling large datasets and statistics

Comfort with electronics and lab instrumentation

Willingness to rapidly upskill in design–experiment–system correlation

Experience with nonlinear optics, laser locking, noise characterisation, or optoelectronic readout is a strong plus.

Who This Role Is For

This role is for:

Experimentalists who care about how photonic systems actually behave in operation

Engineers who enjoy debugging noise, drift, instability, and nonlinear effects

People who automate instead of repeating manual work

Builders who want to push photonics toward production reality

Engineers with high integrity and strong internal standards

What This Role Is Not

This is not:

a cleanroom operator role

a passive‑component‑only measurement job

a simulation‑first, experiment‑second position

a role for manual, spreadsheet‑driven analysis

What Success Looks Like

After 6–12 months:

Lasers, detectors, and active PICs are characterised across wafers and lots

Nonlinearities, noise sources, and drift mechanisms are understood and quantified

Experimental results directly drive design, simulation, and biasing updates

Measurement, metrology, and electrical data are linked coherently

Test infrastructure becomes a competitive advantage

Learning cycles around active photonic behaviour are dramatically shorter

Working with us

Compensation: Our framework is built on fairness and transparency, with regular reviews to reflect growth and performance.

Benefits: Share options, pension, and private medical insurance.

Culture: A deep‑tech rocketship backed by leading investors. We’re building breakthrough technology with real commercial impact. Pace is high. Standards are higher.

Zero Point Motion is determined to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are committed to providing a work environment where there’s a zero‑tolerance approach to discrimination, and everyone is treated with respect. Equity, diversity and inclusion are central to our mission,and we strongly encourage candidates of all different backgrounds and identities to apply. If you need assistance or an accommodation due to a disability, please contact us.

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