Senior Photonic Engineer – Homodyne Detection

About the Opportunity

We are partnering with an innovative technology company developing advanced photonic systems for next-generation computing applications.

The company is seeking a Senior Photonic Engineer to design, develop and experimentally validate integrated optical systems, with a focus on high-speed electro-optic devices, balanced homodyne detection and precision measurement of optical signals.

This is a hands-on experimental role combining optical laboratory work, photonic integrated circuit (PIC) characterisation, electronic control systems and advanced signal processing. You will work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams to develop and validate high-performance photonic technologies.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build and upgrade optical laboratory experiments to characterise photonic integrated circuits using continuous-wave and pulsed laser sources.

• Characterise and benchmark integrated balanced homodyne detectors for pulsed optical signals, including systems operating at bandwidths in the hundreds of MHz.

• Develop experimental methods and measurement strategies to meet evolving optical and electrical requirements.

• Measure and analyse key performance metrics, including detection efficiency, noise clearance, bandwidth, common-mode rejection and crosstalk.

• Develop and evaluate signal processing techniques for pulsed homodyne detection and quantum optical state tomography.

• Implement and maintain optical phase-locked loops, frequency stabilisation systems and precision phase-locking schemes.

• Design and troubleshoot chip-control electronics, PID controllers and high-precision optical and electronic locking systems.

• Develop and assess phase-locking and calibration protocols.

• Collaborate with photonic design, electrical, mechanical and software engineering teams to support successful system integration.

• Produce technical documentation, including design specifications, test procedures, characterisation reports and operating manuals.

Essential Requirements

• PhD in Quantum Optics, Photonics, Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics (AMO), Electrical Engineering or a closely related field.

• Hands-on experimental optics laboratory experience, including integrated optics, fibre optics, interferometer locking and noise characterisation.

• Direct experience with homodyne detection of optical signals; pulsed homodyne detection experience is advantageous.

• Familiarity with optoelectronic detectors, transimpedance amplifiers, RF electronics and electro-optic modulator concepts.

Desirable Experience

• More than four years of experience in one or more of the following areas: quantum computing, particularly optical quantum computing; thin-film lithium niobate modulators; or waveguide-integrated photodiodes.

• Expertise in pulsed homodyne detection and homodyne tomography of quantum optical states.

• Ability to independently design, build and troubleshoot complex optical experiments, interpret measurement data and communicate technical findings.

• Ability to learn complex system architectures and adapt quickly to new experimental frameworks.

• Experience developing Python scripts for instrument control, hardware interfacing and automated data acquisition.

• Strong mathematical modelling skills, including analytical and numerical modelling of physical systems.

• Expertise in advanced signal processing techniques.

• Experience defining physical, optical and electrical interfaces between photonic integrated circuits and high-speed application-specific integrated circuits (ASICs) in co-packaged optics (CPO) systems.

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Oliver Logan