Cambridge, UK | Full-time | Permanent | Salary: £45,000 - £60,000 DOE

About us:
At Wave Photonics, we are building a platform to enable and accelerate the development, mass production and adoption of integrated photonics technologies. Integrated photonics will be crucial in enabling a host of applications ranging from energy-efficient communications, wearable healthcare sensors, rapid diagnostic tools, optical tensor processors, on-chip LiDAR, quantum computing and communication, and many more. We believe that many obstacles in developing these technologies can be removed using a combination of simulation, statistical modelling and optimisation techniques.

Founded in 2021, we have backing from great investors in Silicon Valley, the UK and the EU, and are leading/contributing to multiple projects funded by the UK's innovation agency, Innovate UK. We were also successful in winning a prestigious European Innovation Council Accelerator project to develop solutions for frontier applications of integrated photonics.

We are seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) Engineer to join our rapidly growing team and contribute to our mission in accelerating the growth and adoption of integrated photonics technologies.

Role overview:
You will conduct theoretical analysis and simulation of our QKD protocol, aid design and implementation on a photonic integrated circuit platform, perform experimental characterisation which you will use to provide feedback/optimisation of the protocol and its implementation. This will involve periods of independent work but will also require active collaboration with other team members and the project partner organisations regarding the photonic integrated circuit requirements and design.

You will be a core member of our small, but growing, technical team, contributing to key deliverables and milestones that drive our product development, with the project aim of developing a radically simpler and cheaper QKD system. You will be immersed in the fast-paced environment of a start-up that has ambitions to change the integrated photonics industry. We value enthusiastic people who bring a willingness to learn new things and challenge existing ideas.

The primary focus of the role is technical, but you will also be exposed to other elements of the startup, such as stakeholder engagement activities, contribution to grant projects, IP generation and patent writing.

Optionally, there is potential for interested candidates to become more commercially focused. The position can include project management aspects, which involves interfacing with project partners and Innovate UK in addition to the internal management of the project, and business development aspects, which involves engaging with target end users, gathering customer requirements, and helping to define our strategy regarding development of photonic integrated circuits for QKD.

Desired skills:
PhD in Quantum Information Science, Physics or related
Experience in quantum communications/QKD systems and protocols
Experience with designing, implementing, and testing QKD protocols experimentally
Experience in simulation and analysis of QKD protocols
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, work independently and collaboratively
Proficiency in Python / MATLAB / Julia (or other programming language)
Strong communication and inter-personal skills

This is a wish list, not a requirements list – if you have a relevant background, are excited about what we’re building and want to be part of an early-stage start-up, we want to hear from you.

If you are as excited as we are about the world-changing technologies that will be enabled by integrated photonics and you want to play a key part in it, then please get in touch!

Salary and compensation:
£45k - £60k pa., depending on experience.
Company share options plan.
Enhanced annual leave (25 days + bank holidays).
In-person working with flexible working options available where possible.

Work environment:
At Wave Photonics we see a brighter future. We strive towards that goal not only in the technology we develop, but as a dedicated and welcoming team who are passionate about working together to make it happen. We the huge value in creating a team with people from all backgrounds and experiences. Equity, diversity, and inclusion are vital to our mission, and we strongly encourage people of all backgrounds and identities to apply.

Our office in Cambridge serves as the dynamic hub where brilliant minds converge to redefine the future of integrated photonics. Nestled in one of the world's most renowned academic and technological cities, our workspace embodies the spirit of collaboration, creativity, and cutting-edge exploration. We strive to create an environment where open communication and cross-disciplinary thinking are not just encouraged but celebrated.

How to apply:

Please upload a CV and optional covering letter using this link: https://apply.workable.com/wavephotonics/j/A4AE753E53/

Any questions can also be directed to careers@wavephotonics.com – please include the tag “WP0124-QKD” in the subject line.

All applicants will be notified within 28 days of application.

NO RECRUITMENT AGENCIES PLEASE.