Optical Test Scientist (Photonics)

Location: Onsite at the Springtown office in Derry/Londonderry, United Kingdom. Full-time, 39 hours per week. Travel is not required. Visa sponsorship can be offered for candidates holding a PhD.

Competitive base pay and company bonus scheme are provided; no exact salary amount is stated.

Company

hirify.global develops and manufactures data storage products, with the Springtown facility focused on the design, development, and volume manufacturing of recording heads.

What you will do

• Design and build electro-optical test systems for capturing critical-to-quality performance metrics.
• Develop hardware designs and control software for optical testing.
• Design and execute experiments to evaluate the optical and electrical performance of photonic devices, especially semiconductor lasers.
• Develop and implement test protocols and procedures for semiconductor laser characterization.
• Maintain, troubleshoot, and modify optical test equipment and instrumentation.
• Analyze test data, prepare detailed reports, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to optimize device performance.

Requirements

• Strong background in optical test assembly, electro-optical semiconductor device characterization, and photonic integrated circuits.
• Hands-on experience building in-plane test characterization systems for semiconductor lasers.
• Experience programming with LabVIEW, Python, JSL, or MATLAB.
• Solid understanding of semiconductor laser and waveguide physics and design principles.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, communication, and teamwork skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a cross-functional R&D environment.

Nice to have

• PhD in lasers, photonics, optics, optoelectronics, physics, or a related field.
• Academic research or industrial experience in a relevant area.

Culture & Benefits

• Private healthcare, company sick pay, medical leave, occupational healthcare, and income protection.
• Annual leave, flexible working hours, enhanced maternity and paternity pay, and bereavement leave.
• Employer-contributory pension, life assurance, employee stock purchase plan, bonus scheme, and employee discounts.
• Subsidized onsite café, onsite gym, exercise classes, and personal training.
• Training and development support, Udemy learning, employee resource groups, and professional networks.

Hiring process

• Applications should demonstrate how the candidate meets the stated criteria in the cover letter or CV.
• The application deadline is midnight on Sunday, 1 November 2026.