Principal Photonics Architect

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Main role:

This is an exciting opportunity to join Cambridge Consultants’ Photonics Group — a team accelerating the adoption of innovative photonic technologies into real-world products. Our work spans photonic integrated circuits, nano- and micro-fabricated optics, nonlinear systems, and emerging fields such as quantum photonics. We push the boundaries of design, modelling and experimental validation to make novel optical technologies practical and scalable.

As a photonics architect, you will lead multidisciplinary teams developing next-generation photonic and optoelectronic systems. You will set the technical vision, define architectures, and guide projects from concept through design, integration, and validation. Working closely with electronic, mechanical, and software engineers, as well as external foundries and other partners, you will ensure that ambitious ideas are translated into robust and manufacturable hardware.

You’ll also play a key role in shaping the strategy and future direction of the Photonics Group, helping to grow internal capability and mentor new talent while engaging with clients at the forefront of optical innovation.

What you will do:

• Lead teams delivering PICs and photonic systems, owning architecture from concept to validated hardware.
• Oversee design, simulation, tape‑out, integration and test activities, setting best practices.
• Manage technical relationships with foundries, packaging and optics partners.
• Drive training, upskilling and resource planning to scale internal photonics expertise.

Requirements

• Led specification, design, fabrication/test and validation of complex PICs or photonic systems.
• Hands‑on photonic design/simulation (Lumerical/Ansys/Synopsys or equivalent) and PIC layout (Synopsys/Luceda/Nazca).
• Engagement with photonics ecosystem (fabs, packaging, test).
• Deep knowledge of PIC platforms (SiPh/SiN/InP), integration methods and test strategies.
• Proven ability to lead engineers, make technical trade‑offs and collaborate across disciplines.
• Experience in photonic / optical compute technologies
• Experience in high‑speed PICs for datacoms
• Experience in free‑space optical communication

Why Cambridge Consultants?

Cambridge Consultants creates exciting and novel breakthroughs in design and technology rich products. We help our clients achieve the kind of game‑changing leap forward that will transform their whole business.

At the heart of what we do are talented and motivated multi-disciplinary teams empowered to create cutting edge technologies and systems to solve difficult problems for our clients.

We recognise and celebrate individual talent and we understand the importance of letting individuals be just that. Our people are here to do the best work of their lives and our job is to provide the platform for them to do it. That means letting people pursue the projects that interest them and develop their career in whatever direction they choose.

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