Photonics Technical Lead

The Photonics Technical Lead (PTL) plays a strategic role in shaping and advancing Infleqtion's integrated photonics capabilities, working closely with global technical and business leaders to transition innovative technologies into products and customer solutions.

As the UK technical lead and primary point of contact for integrated photonics, this role is responsible for developing and executing the photonics roadmap across a portfolio of projects spanning photonic integrated circuits (PICs), laser systems, and integrated photonic subsystems for quantum technologies.

The role will collaborate extensively with multidisciplinary teams across Infleqtion's UK, US, and Australian operations to align technology development with company strategy, product roadmaps, and customer needs.

Primary responsibilities include overseeing technical project execution, leading photonics research and development activities, managing technical personnel, developing external partnerships, and identifying opportunities to transition photonics technologies into commercial products.

The successful candidate will combine deep technical expertise with strong leadership skills to help establish and grow Infleqtion's global photonics capabilities.

• Lead the UK integrated photonics capability and act as the primary technical point of contact for photonics activities.
• Oversee the technical performance of a portfolio of photonics projects, ensuring alignment with business, product, and customer objectives.
• Develop and maintain technical roadmaps for PICs, laser systems, and integrated photonic subsystems.
• Collaborate with Quantum Systems teams to identify and develop integrated photonics opportunities.
• Set technical objectives, assess feasibility, manage technical risks, and support project delivery.
• Present technical updates, milestone reviews, design reviews, and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify technologies suitable for product development, commercialisation, and intellectual property protection.

• Lead the design, simulation, layout, fabrication, testing, and packaging of silicon photonics PICs.
• Design and develop photonic components including lasers, modulators, passive devices, and integrated subsystems.
• Work with foundry partners, III-V gain chip suppliers, and packaging companies to develop and integrate photonic devices.
• Lead laboratory testing and characterisation of PIC-based devices, including automated test methods.
• Characterise lasers and modulated laser systems, including DC measurements, frequency noise, relative intensity noise, and high-speed waveform analysis.
• Evaluate micro-combs and PIC-based approaches for miniature frequency combs and atom-addressing applications.

• Build, lead, and mentor technical contributors within the photonics team.
• Assign responsibilities and guide project-level technical contributors toward successful outcomes.
• Work closely with global technical teams across the UK, US, and Australia.
• Act as a technical interface with partners, suppliers, subcontractors, customers, and collaborators.
• Support proposal development, statements of work, technical planning, and externally funded programme activities.
• Promote strong HSE practices and safe working culture in laboratory environments.