Associate Photonics Engineer

Company Description

Do you relish the challenge of being part of a growing business, a team, an industry, and seeing the energy you help generate? Are you at your best when contributing to a range of projects and collaborating across teams to help inform, direct and support those around you in solving the problems of the future?

Within CSA Catapult, we look beyond the status quo. We seek to employ people based on ability and attitude; we measure what you deliver and how you do it. We encourage collaboration in everything we do as we value the diversity of thought that we each bring to every challenge.

Who are we? The next wave of emerging technologies will have an enormous impact on our lives. 5G communications will enable a host of new and exciting applications such as connected autonomous vehicles and multimedia services. The challenge of net-zero to have clean, renewable energy and move from the internal combustion engine to electric cars. Compound semiconductor (CS) technologies will underpin many of these developments.

We are a Not for Profit organisation; here to help the UK economy grow, and we work across the UK with a range of industry sectors from automotive to medical, and from digital communications to aerospace. Through employing leading minds and investing in technology, we help turn ideas into reality, bridging the gap between concept and implementation.

CSA Catapult is committed to supporting and upholding diversity, equality, and inclusion in everything we do. A commitment to embrace and advocate for inclusion is an essential part of all roles.

Position

Our Photonics team are looking for an Associate Photonics Engineer with knowledge of Optical and Photonic technology to join our growing department and develop innovative projects through collaborative R&D programmes and internal research projects. The Associate Engineer will perform design and test activities on multiple projects.

They will be required to work as part of an integrated project team, working closely alongside the Project Manager, Project Technical Authority and Engineering team members. The role is predominantly based at our Innovation Centre (Newport, Wales) and there will be a requirement to travel to our new Future Telecoms Hub in Bristol from time to time.

The CSAC Photonics Team has delivered a few projects focusing on:

• Quantum technologies
• Optical / Photonic design and packaging
• Testing and verification of optical and photonic devices at wafer / tile level
• High speed optical communications testing
• Reliability testing

The successful Associate Photonics Engineer will be trained on the above focus areas.

Key tasks include:

• Work closely with the Project Manager (PM) and Technical Authority (TA) to deliver tasks on aligned with the project timeline and to scope
• Prepare technical documentation including various test requirements, specifications, and plans in collaboration with other project members to demonstrate projects progress
• Work closely with suppliers providing technical specifications for materials, components, and test equipment within the allocated budget
• Perform detailed design, test, experiment analysis and validation activities in the labs at CSA Catapult’s Innovation Centre
• Participate in project’s technical risk assessments
• Provide inputs to technical proposals, and quotations, when required

Requirements

The Associate Engineer will have the following desired skills and experience:

• Demonstrate they can work in a collaborative project environment (e.g. worked in an InnovateUK, EPSRC, EU Horizon or other project)
• Be able to design and develop automated testbeds for characterising LASERs, Photodetectors, Single Photon Detectors (SPADs), Amplifiers, modulators or other.
• Be competent in programming languages (e.g. Python)
• Have knowledge about Optical Design (e.g. Zemax)
• Have strong documentation and knowledge transfer capabilities
• Be able to distil and communicate scientific information effectively
• Be passionate about applying their knowledge to advance the Compound Semiconductor technology
• Be able to work in a flexible and innovative environment

In addition, the Associate Engineer will ideally have two or more of the following:

• Experience in conducting R&D in quantum computing, communications or sensing
• Knowledge of AI and neuromorphic techniques and methods
• Experience in using a wafer probing station to run automated tests (highly preferred)
• Competence in optoelectronic design

Other information

• Up to £37,440 per annum (full time salary)
• A non-contractual bonus scheme to allow everyone to share in our success
• Life Assurance – 4 times your annual salary
• Scottish Widows pension scheme – you put in 5% and we’ll put in 10%
• 28 days leave in addition to 8 bank holidays
• 37.5 hour full time working week
• A generous private medical insurance scheme for you and your family (enrolment once a year)
• A cashback scheme for your eye tests and dental treatment
• Payment for a professional membership each year
• Holiday purchase scheme
• Flexible and hybrid working – we operate core hours of 10-4. The balance of your hours can be worked around what works for you
• Electric Vehicle and Cycle to work schemes