Optics Group Lead
$150,000–$200,000 year
On-siteCambridge, England, United Kingdom
Job Summary
Lead the design, build, and optimisation of advanced optical systems for qubit photon interfaces and quantum networking testbeds. Provide technical direction for experimental execution across classical and quantum platforms, managing architecture for free-space optics, fibre systems, and interferometry. Mentor team members through technical guidance and review of experimental plans while establishing best practices for alignment, automation, and data analysis. Collaborate with nanofabrication, electronics, and software teams to resolve system-level trade-offs and drive the long-term optics roadmap. Work in a multidisciplinary environment to ensure optical subsystems are robust, reproducible, and ready for scaling.
Required Qualifications
- PhD or equivalent industrial experience in quantum optics, experimental photonics, AMO physics, optical engineering, or a closely related field
- Demonstrated ability to provide technical leadership in optics, including setting technical direction, reviewing designs and experiments, making sound technical decisions, and guiding others through complex optical problems
- The ability to move seamlessly from optical simulation to laboratory implementation and iterative optimisation (including Integration with mechanics, electronics, and control software)
- A working knowledge of atomic and quantum physics sufficient to understand system-level requirements
- Experience mentoring, coaching, or supervising, for example, engineers, scientists, PhD students, or technical team members
- Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts clearly through reports, design reviews, presentations, and cross-functional discussions
- Ability to work effectively in a multidisciplinary environment
Desired Qualifications
- Experience with adaptive optics, fourier optics, beam steering, and beam pointing stabilisation techniques
- Experience with low-noise optical measurements, laser stabilisation, Pound-Drever-Hall locking
- Experience with optical modelling such as Zemax, tolerance analysis, Gaussian beam propagation, fibre coupling, or system-level optical simulation
- Start-up experience
- Familiarity with laser safety principles, laser risk assessments
- Experience contributing to the setup or improvement of optics labs
- Experience with frequency combs
- Experience with ARTIQ
- Experience with ion-trapping or neutral atoms
- Experience with HOM measurements
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