Principal System Engineer

In this role, you own and shape the system architecture for an early-stage optical platform, integrating optics, opto-mechanics, electronics and thermal management toward a robust, manufacturable product. You’ll work across disciplines to define performance budgets, interfaces and IVVQ plans, guiding de-risking experiments and design decisions. You will lead cross-functional teams and engage with partners on grant-funded projects to keep the system coherent as the technology moves from lab to production. A hands-on, fast-moving environment awaits in Edinburgh, with visa sponsorship available.

• Principal-level ownership of the architecture
• Direct influence over engineering practice and technical direction
• Opportunity to take advanced optical system from lab demonstration to manufacturable platform
• Visa sponsorship available
• Collaborative, well-funded team
• Onsite role in Edinburgh

• Own system architecture and requirements decomposition across optical, opto-mechanical, electronic, thermal and software domains
• Define and manage performance budgets (throughput, wavefront and pointing error, alignment, noise, drift and SWaP) and lead trade studies toward manufacturability
• Define and control subsystem interfaces and maintain interface control documents
• Lead integration and packaging of lasers, optics, detectors, electronics and mechanics into compact assemblies
• Lead IVVQ activities including thermal, vibration and shock testing with traceability to requirements
• Run de-risking experiments and prototypes and document key design decisions
• Lead systems engineering work packages on grant-funded projects with partners, suppliers and academic collaborators
• Maintain cross-disciplinary coherence and support engineers in systems thinking

• Degree or PhD in Physics, Optical Engineering or related discipline
• Proven systems engineering experience across lifecycle (requirements, architecture, interface control, design reviews, risk management, IVVQ)
• Strong hands-on opto-mechanics experience (tolerancing, kinematic mounting, alignment, bonding)
• Experience packaging optics, electronics and mechanics in quantum technologies, photonics, lasers, space/defence optronics or precision instruments
• Extensive cleanroom and lab experience building/characterising low-noise optical systems
• Working knowledge of laser drivers, detectors, signal chains and temperature control, and Python and/or MATLAB
• Excellent communication skills bridging physicists and engineers in fast-moving environments
• Experience with CAD, FEA, Zemax or CODE V; design for manufacture or MBSE desirable but not essential

• strong communication
• cross-functional collaboration
• ambition with hands-on problem solving
• Gaussian optics
• beam propagation
• interference