Optical Engineer
Key Skills for This Role
Full Job Posting
What You’ll Accomplish
Provide optical engineering support to a team of scientists and engineers developing commercial quantum computing systems.
Design, specify, assemble, align, troubleshoot, and characterize optical and laser subsystems for trapped-ion experiments.
Integrate complex, high-precision optical, fibre-optic, and opto-mechanical sub-assemblies into higher-level systems and maintain them for reliable operation.
Develop optical test methods, collect and analyze performance data, and use results to improve subsystem robustness, alignment stability, throughput, and key optical performance parameters.
Support electro-optical controls, beam delivery, laser alignment, and optical diagnostic systems to enable robust operation of quantum computers.
Work with a multidisciplinary and experienced team of Electronics Engineers, Mechanical Engineers, Physicists and Quantum Engineers.
The most critical attributes we’ll use to compare candidates
Around 10 years of relevant hands-on optical engineering experience, including design, build, alignment, test and troubleshooting of complex optical systems.
Strong working knowledge of optical principles including geometrical optics, Gaussian beams, polarization, diffraction, interference, optical coatings, beam shaping and stray-light control.
Experience operating, stabilizing, and characterizing laser systems, fibre-coupled beam delivery, optical cavities, or equivalent precision optical assemblies.
Experience using opto-electronic devices, optical instrumentation, control systems, and laboratory test equipment to diagnose and improve system performance.
Ability to work with design, modelling, analysis, or automation tools such as Zemax/OpticStudio, Code V, LightTools, TracePro, MATLAB, Python, or equivalent engineering software.
Must-have Skills
- A degree or higher in Optical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline.
- Around 10 years of relevant optical engineering experience in R&D, product development, precision instrumentation, photonics, lasers, imaging, semiconductor equipment, quantum technologies, or a similar high-precision technical environment.
- Demonstrated experience with free-space optical alignment, fibre-optic components, beam delivery, optical mounts, lenses, mirrors, filters, waveplates, polarizers and opto-mechanical assemblies.
- Hands-on experience using and maintaining laser systems and electro-optical laboratory equipment such as beam profilers, wavemeters, interferometers, power meters, photodetectors, electro-optic modulators, oscilloscopes, and spectrum analyzers.
- Ability to define optical requirements, create test plans, document results, perform root-cause analysis and communicate technical findings clearly to multidisciplinary teams.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to work independently while contributing effectively to a collaborative engineering environment.
Nice-to-have
Experience transferring optical systems from prototype build into robust operational or manufacturing environments.
Please feel encouraged to apply even if you don't match all the requirements of our job description. We would love to receive your application even if you think you're only a partial match.
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- Meaningful equity participation
- Flexible holiday allowance (28 days minimum)
- Flexible working
- 10% matching pension
- Generous parental support policy
- Private health / dental insurance & group life insurance
- £2,000 annual personal development budget
- Relocation support
- We are committed to nurturing diversity and inclusion At Universal Quantum, we’re passionate about working with and for all kinds of minds. We are committed to building an inclusive environment where everyone can thrive, and we hold ourselves accountable through continuous improvement, transparency, and the way we design our hiring and working practices. We welcome team members from all backgrounds and actively work to ensure everyone can flourish.
About Universal Quantum
Private UK quantum-computing hardware company building scalable trapped-ion computers for scientific and industrial applications.
Visit company websiteJobs and hiring trendsApply for this job in 1 click
Skip the repetitive application forms
Install the Base Career Chrome Extension and autofill job applications across major job boards with your profile.
Trusted by over 500,000 job seekers on Base Career
More from this employer
More jobs at Universal Quantum
FPGA Digital Design Engineer
Haywards Heath, GBR
Experimental Quantum Physicist
Haywards Heath, GBR
Mechanical Engineer
Haywards Heath, GBR
ASIC Layout Engineer
Haywards Heath, GBR
Quantum Control Theorist
Haywards Heath, GBR
RF- Electronics Engineer
Haywards Heath, GBR
Quantum Physics open applications
Haywards Heath, GBR
Software Engineer (Compilers)
Haywards Heath, GBR