LumiAIres Ltd
Computational Photonics Engineer
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Computational Photonics Engineer
Head of Modelling & Learning – Photonic AI
A Multi-Disciplinary Bridge Between Physics, Machine Learning, and Product Innovation
About LumiAIres
LumiAIres is a Scottish deep-tech company developing neuromorphic photonic chips for edge AI applications. Our technology operates at the cutting edge of photonics, neuromorphic computing, and AI, offering processing speeds and energy efficiencies unattainable by conventional silicon-based architectures.
Headquartered in Glasgow, we deploy our technology across three high-growth sectors—Aerospace, Defence, and Autonomous Systems—backed by a world-class founding team. Currently in a seed funding round, this role is central to our growth trajectory.
The Opportunity
You will build and own the modelling-and-learning function at the heart of LumiAIres, designing simulation, encoding–decoding, and machine-learning layers that enable light-based computation. These assets will be reusable across all product generations and customer programmes.
Your flagship focus will be LUMINA, our high-fidelity digital twin and encoding–decoding environment, allowing integrators to pre-evaluate our photonic technology before silicon production. Your role bridges physics and learning:
- Model how light computes inside our photonic core.
- Train readout models to extract meaningful inference.
- Collaborate with:
- The Integrated Photonics Lead (physical validity).
- Academic partners (encoding–decoding optimisation).
- The Applied Photonics Engineer (real-world silicon validation).
- The Full-Stack Software Engineer (productising the twin).
Future growth potential: This role can evolve into ownership of LumiAIres’ entire modelling and machine-learning function.
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Key Responsibilities
This role is structured around four core pillars:
1. Photonic & Optical Simulation
- Model the photonic core and full signal chain using:
- Established optical-simulation methods (transfer-matrix, numerical wave propagation).
- Build, maintain, and validate a high-fidelity digital twin of the photonic processor.
- Quantify the impact of design and fabrication choices on computational behaviour, feeding insights back to the photonic design team.
2. 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 academic partners.
3. Machine Learning & Readout
- Develop readout models and training pipelines.
- Build a learning loop that improves inference over time, feeding results into software tools.
- Optimise mapping of ML inference onto photonic hardware.
4. Customer-Ready Twins & Validation
- Harden the digital twin into a pre-evaluation environment for integrators (collaborating with Full-Stack Software Engineer and Strategic Partners Lead).
- Validate twin predictions against measured silicon (partnering with Applied Photonics Engineer).
What We Are Looking For
We seek a computational scientist or engineer with an advanced degree (MSc or PhD) in:
- Applied mathematics,
- Computational/theoretical physics,
- Electrical engineering,
- Computer science, or related quantitative fields.
Essential qualifications: ✅ Strong optical/photonic simulation skills (transfer-matrix methods, numerical wave propagation, or equivalents). ✅ Practical machine learning expertise (model training, evaluation, and pipeline development in Python; frameworks like NumPy/SciPy, PyTorch, or JAX). ✅ Scientific software excellence—able to translate physics into validated, maintainable code. ✅ Advantageous experience with photonic neural networks, optical computing, or neuromorphic systems.
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Nice-to-haves (but not required): 🔹 Experience with digital-twin or hardware-in-the-loop modelling. 🔹 Active-learning methods or collaboration with experimental/academic teams. 🔹 Comfort in early-stage, fast-moving environments where processes are built organically.
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 Permanence:
- Yes—with location flexibility (Glasgow or Paris) post-12 months.
- Start Date: To be agreed
Why LumiAIres?
✨ Pioneering work at the frontier of photonic AI, poised to reshape global information processing. ✨ Expert founding team with depth in photonics, neuromorphic computing, and commercial strategy. ✨ Exposure to global investors, strategic partners, and government stakeholders from Day One. ✨ Values-driven culture committed to long-term impact. ✨ Trust-based, flexible environment where employees own real impact.
How to Apply
Express your interest by submitting:
- A CV
- A short covering note addressing:
- Your background in optical/photonic simulation and machine learning.
- Any digital-twin or modelling deliverables you’ve contributed to.
- What draws you to photonic computing.
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