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Salience Labs

Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Vale of White Horse
Posted about 15 hours ago
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Job Overview:

We are looking for an Opto-mechanical Engineer to join our Manufacturing team and play a critical role in the design, integration, and manufacturing of opto-mechanical systems for our photonic products. This role will sit at the intersection of mechanical design, optics, and manufacturing, helping us translate optical designs into robust, manufacturable hardware.

You will take ownership of designing and validating opto-mechanical assemblies, including mounts, and alignment structures for optical and photonic components. You will work closely with Hardware, and manufacturing engineering teams as well as vendors from across the world to ensure designs are optically sound, mechanically robust, and ready for scalable production.

This is a highly hands-on engineering role suited to someone comfortable moving between CAD design, optical modelling, and physical prototyping and testing. You will be expected to troubleshoot mechanical and optical integration issues, iterate on designs quickly, and help establish repeatable, production-ready opto-mechanical solutions. Fresh graduates with strong relevant project, internship, or academic experience are welcome to apply.

What you'll be doing:

  • Design opto-mechanical components and assemblies (mounts, housings, brackets, alignment stages) using SolidWorks
  • Model and analyse optical systems and tolerances using Zemax
  • Translate optical design requirements into manufacturable mechanical designs
  • Perform tolerance analysis to ensure optical alignment and performance across manufacturing variation
  • Build and test prototypes to validate opto-mechanical designs against optical performance targets
  • Support fibre-to-chip and free-space alignment integration for photonic assemblies
  • Work closely with manufacturing team and vendors to ensure designs are suitable for production and assembly
  • Investigate and resolve mechanical or thermal issues affecting optical performance (e.g. misalignment, drift, stress-induced effects)
  • Create and maintain design documentation, drawings, and version-controlled files
  • Collaborate with suppliers on machining, coatings, and assembly processes
  • Support root cause analysis for opto-mechanical failures identified in test or field use

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Graduate Consultant — 2026 Scheme

PwC·London, UK
£35,000/yr

Why you're a good match

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Your economics background and your summer at a regional bank line up with what PwC looks for on the consulting scheme. Applications close in four weeks.

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Why you're a good match

You’ve got the grades and the economics background, and your bank internship is exactly the experience this scheme looks for. Apply soon — deadlines close within the month.

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Your summer at the bank plus your econometrics coursework map directly to the day-one responsibilities on this scheme — client modelling, market briefings, and deal support.

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What we're looking for:

  • Proficiency in SolidWorks for mechanical design and drafting (2+ years of hands-on experience)
  • Experience with Zemax or similar optical design/simulation software (2+ years of hands-on experience)
  • Solid understanding of optics fundamentals (alignment, tolerances, beam propagation, focusing)
  • Some industrial, internship, or substantial project experience in opto-mechanical, mechanical, or optical engineering
  • Ability to perform tolerance stack-up analysis for optical and mechanical systems
  • Comfortable working hands-on in laboratory and prototyping environments (hands-on lab /manufacturing experience)
  • Strong troubleshooting mindset with a practical, iterative approach to engineering
  • Ability to communicate clearly with cross-functional engineering teams
  • Able to travel to vendor sites to transfer knowledge and troubleshoot problems.

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Even better if you have:

  • Experience with photonic or semiconductor packaging and assembly
  • Familiarity with fibre alignment, free-space optics, or laser-based systems
  • Experience with thermal or structural analysis (FEA) as it relates to optical performance
  • Exposure to manufacturing or production environments
  • Understanding of Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing, and its application to precision optical assemblies
  • Familiarity with material selection for optical and thermal stability

We are open to candidates from Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or related technical disciplines. Fresh graduates with strong relevant experience through projects, internships, or research are encouraged to apply.

This is an opportunity to work on genuinely challenging problems across optics, mechanics, and manufacturing, with direct influence on how advanced AI hardware is designed and built.

You will also have access to cutting-edge equipment, collaborative engineering teams, and the chance to help shape opto-mechanical design capability from the ground up.

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Skills

SolidWorks
Zemax
Opto-mechanical design
Tolerance analysis
Optical alignment
Prototyping
Mechanical design
Photonic systems
Thermal analysis
Structural analysis
FEA
Geometric Dimensioning and Tolerancing
Material selection
Root cause analysis
Manufacturing engineering
Hardware integration

Location

Vale of White Horse, England, United Kingdom

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