Computational Photonics Engineer

You will build and own the modelling-and-learning capability at the heart of LumiAIres: the simulation, encoding–decoding, and machine-learning layer that makes light compute. This is a durable company function: the digital twins, encoding schemes, and readout models you build become reusable assets across every product generation and customer programme. Your immediate focus is our current flagship programme, LUMINA, which leads the high-fidelity digital twin and encoding–decoding scheme, turning the twin into the customer-facing pre-evaluation environment that lets integrators assess our technology before silicon is in hand.

Our photonic core behaves as a physical computing medium. Your job is to model how light computes inside it and to train the models that read the answer out. You will work closely with the Integrated Photonics Lead on physical validity, with our academic partners on encoding–decoding, with the Applied Photonics Engineer on validating predictions against measured silicon, and with the Full-Stack Software Engineer on productising the twin.

You are the bridge between physics and learning, modelling how light computes inside our photonic core, and training the models that read the answer out. As we scale, this role can grow into ownership of LumiAIres' modelling and machine-learning function and the team behind it.

CONTRACT & PROGRESSION

CONTRACT TYPE: 18-Month Fixed Term Contract

LOCATION: Glasgow, Scotland (Hybrid)

SALARY: TBC per annum

REPORTS TO: CTO (currently the CEO)

POTENTIAL FOR PERMANENT ROLE: Yes — Glasgow or Paris (determined within the first 12 months)

START DATE: To be agreed

This role is offered initially as an 18-month Fixed Term Contract based in Glasgow. Given the portable nature of the modelling work, the permanent position offers location flexibility as the company scales.

WHY LUMIAIRES

Work at the frontier of photonic AI, technology with the potential to reshape how the world processes information.

A founding team with deep expertise in photonics, neuromorphic computing, and commercial strategy.

Exposure to global investors, strategic partners, and government stakeholders from day one.

A genuinely values-led company building for the long term.

Flexible, trust-based culture with real ownership and impact.

HOW TO APPLY

To express interest in this role, please send a CV and a short covering note describing your background in optical or photonic simulation and machine learning, any modelling or digital-twin work you have delivered, and what draws you to photonic computing. Applications and initial conversations are treated in strict confidence.

Restrictions

• No telecommuting
• Agencies are OK

Requirements

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The role is structured around four core pillars:

• Photonic & Optical Simulation

Model the photonic core and full signal chain using established optical-simulation and numerical wave-propagation methods.

Build, maintain, and validate the high-fidelity digital twin of the photonic processor. Quantify how design and fabrication choices affect computational behaviour, feeding insight back to the photonic design team.

• Encoding, Decoding & Core Behaviour

Design and optimise input encoding and output decoding schemes for the photonic platform.

Characterise how the photonic core behaves as a physical computing medium. Co‑own encoding–decoding optimisation with our academic partners.

Develop the readout models and associated training pipelines.

Build the learning loop that improves inference over time and feeds our software tools. Optimise the mapping of machine learning inference onto the photonic hardware.

Harden the digital twin into a pre‑evaluation environment that integrators can run, with the Full‑Stack Software Engineer and the Strategic Partners Lead.

Validate twin predictions against measured silicon in partnership with the Applied Photonics Engineer.

WHAT WE ARE LOOKING FOR

• A strong computational scientist or engineer with an advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in applied mathematics, computational or theoretical physics, electrical engineering, computer science, or a related quantitative field.
• Strong optical and photonic simulation skills, including transfer‑matrix and numerical wave‑propagation methods (or equivalent).
• A grounding in practical machine learning — model training, evaluation, and pipeline development (Python; NumPy / SciPy and PyTorch / JAX or similar).
• Strong scientific software practice and the ability to turn physics into validated, maintainable code.
• Familiarity with photonic neural networks, optical, or neuromorphic computing is a strong advantage.
• Experience with digital‑twin or hardware‑in‑the‑loop modelling, active‑learning methods, or working alongside experimental and academic teams is welcome.
• Comfort in an early‑stage, fast‑moving environment where structure is built, not inherited.

About the Company

ABOUT LUMIAIRES

LumiAIres is a Scottish deep‑tech company developing neuromorphic photonic chips for edge AI applications. Our technology operates at the intersection of photonics, neuromorphic computing, and artificial intelligence, enabling processing speeds and energy efficiencies that conventional silicon‑based architectures cannot match.

We are headquartered in Glasgow and are actively deploying our technology across three high‑growth sectors: Aerospace, Defence, and Autonomous Systems. Backed by a world‑class founding team and currently executing a seed funding round, LumiAIres is at an inflection point and this role is central to our growth trajectory.

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