Cnuic Technologies
FDTD Simulation Engineer (Visible Optics)
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Cnuic Technologies
Cnuic Technologies is a deep-tech company based in Edinburgh, building next-generation optical systems aimed at pushing the limits of precision manufacturing and nanoscale engineering. We are backed by substantial venture capital and grant support from several UK innovation agencies.
We are a small, focused team working on genuinely difficult hardware problems. The work is fast-paced and collaborative, and we give engineers the space and resources to do serious technical work. If you want to build something from the ground up and care deeply about getting the physics right, this is a good place to be.
About the Role
This is a principal-level engineering role focused on the design and development of metasurface enabled optical systems, working at the intersection of electromagnetic theory, nanophotonic simulation, and macro-scale optical design.
You will design and simulate metasurfaces and metamaterials using rigorous electromagnetic methods, manage the coupling of light from macro-scale optical systems into metastructures, and ensure designs are both physically sound and fabrication-compatible.
You will own the end-to-end optical and nanophotonic simulation workflow: using Lumerical FDTD and RCWA for unit cell and structure-level electromagnetic analysis, carrying out dispersion analysis and effective medium theory (EMT) modelling, and bridging to macro-scale system behaviour using Zemax or equivalent ray tracing tools. You will define tolerances, validate against experimental data, and iterate.
As a lead role, you will also help set technical direction for the optics team and work closely with colleagues across simulation, hardware, and systems engineering.
About You
- Comfortable taking ownership of an open-ended technical problem without a fully detailed brief.
- Able to communicate complex photonics and process trade-offs clearly to engineers from other disciplines and to leadership.
- Comfortable defending technical decisions in design review, responding to critical feedback with evidence rather than assertion.
- Comfortable in an environment where priorities shift as experimental and fabrication results come in.
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Key Requirements
Electromagnetic Simulation & Nanophotonics
- Deep, hands-on expertise with Lumerical FDTD for sub-wavelength structure simulation at visible wavelengths (unit cell design, near-field analysis, transmission/reflection/phase spectra, polarisation response), working knowledge of RCWA, and judgement on when FDTD versus RCWA is right for a given problem.
- Rigorous simulation practice: mesh/grid convergence testing, boundary condition selection, and distinguishing numerical artefacts from real physical effects.
- Solid grounding in effective medium theory, dispersion engineering, and Mie/coupled-mode analysis of dielectric and hybrid metal-dielectric nanostructures.
- Experience designing metasurfaces against a specific functional target as a repeatable design methodology tied to a real fabrication process, not an academic exercise.
Process Engineering & Manufacturability
- Practical understanding of the nanofabrication process flow: thin-film deposition, lithographic patterning (e-beam and/or DUV), and pattern transfer by dry etch.
- Ability to reason about how process parameters shift the as-built structure away from the as-designed one, and fold that into simulation as a defined tolerance budget.
- Familiarity with what changes at visible wavelengths versus NIR/THz designs: smaller critical dimensions, tighter tolerances, and low-loss dielectric materials rather than silicon- or metal-heavy designs.
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Metrology & Characterisation
- Experience using SEM for critical dimension measurement and defect inspection; AFM for feature height and surface roughness; and spectroscopic ellipsometry to determine film thickness and refractive index, feeding measured optical constants back into FDTD/RCWA models rather than relying on literature values.
Thin-Film Materials & Deposition
- Understanding of ALD, PECVD, sputtering, or e-beam evaporation, and how deposition parameters affect film stoichiometry, stress, density, and optical constants.
- Ability to specify film requirements to a process team and interpret characterisation data.
Optical System Design
- Working knowledge of Zemax OpticStudio (or equivalent) for macro-scale optical system design, including representing metasurface phase/amplitude response within a ray-tracing environment.
- Experience with tolerance analysis, aberration management, and practical alignment/manufacturing constraints.
Scripting & Automation
- Proficiency in Python for scripting simulation workflows, batch parameter sweeps, and processing large simulation and measurement datasets.
- Experience building automated characterisation or data-analysis pipelines linking simulation output to measured data is a strong plus.
Benefits & Compensation
- Competitive salary appropriate to a principal-level role, plus:
- Equity: A meaningful allocation from our option pool, reflecting the foundational nature of this hire.
- Life insurance: Standard comprehensive coverage.
- Office: A well-equipped, modern workspace in West Edinburgh, designed for focused work and team collaboration.
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