At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead the design of next-gen optical interconnect solutions and collaborate across teams.
- Company: Plessey Photonics, a leader in innovative light-based technology.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, supportive culture, and opportunities for professional growth.
- Other info: Join a family-like team dedicated to innovation and excellence.
- Why this job: Shape the future of computing with cutting-edge optical technologies.
- Qualifications: Expertise in high-speed SerDes, ASIC architectures, and optical communications required.
The predicted salary is between 63000 - 77000 £ per year.
About Plessey Photonics
We’re building the hardware foundation for next-era computing. Plessey Photonics Systems is built on our existing technology capabilities at Plessey, a world-leading technology company driving the next generation of photonic devices and systems. With over seventy years of innovation, we combine research, materials science, process engineering, and manufacturing capabilities. Plessey Photonics Systems is defining next-generation optical interconnect technologies. Join us to work on breakthrough technologies shaping the future of light-based technology and computing.
Location: Based in Oxford
Our Values
- Lead: We don’t follow industry trends; we create them, pushing boundaries and setting standards others aspire to. Every team member has the power to make decisions, drive change, and deliver excellence. We support each other, challenge one another for the best solutions, and lead by example.
- Grow: We expand our capabilities every day — deepening our expertise, improving how we work, and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible. Curiosity fuels us: we question assumptions, explore new ideas, and innovate with light-based technologies.
- Trust: We operate like a family—honest, reliable, and supportive. We have each other’s backs, own our actions, and uphold the highest standards of integrity and safety.
About the Role
We are seeking an experienced Optical Interconnect Architect to lead the architecture and development of next-generation optical interconnect solutions. The ideal candidate combines deep expertise in high-speed SerDes and ASIC architectures with a strong understanding of optical communications, photonics, and advanced packaging. You will work at the intersection of electrical and optical systems, defining architectures that enable higher bandwidth, lower power consumption, and greater interconnect density. This is a highly cross-functional role spanning ASIC/SoC architecture, SerDes, optical engines, photonics, packaging, signal integrity, and system-level interconnects.
Key Responsibilities
- Define system and link architectures for next-generation optical interconnects.
- Develop the electrical/optical interface architecture between ASICs, SerDes, optical engines, and photonic devices.
- Lead architecture of high-speed SerDes-based optical links.
- Evaluate and define architectures for co-packaged optics (CPO), silicon photonics, optical I/O, chip-to-chip and package-to-package interconnects.
- Develop link budgets and system-level requirements covering bandwidth, latency, optical power, insertion loss, BER, energy/bit, thermal performance, and reliability.
- Work closely with ASIC, SerDes, photonics, packaging, and system engineering teams to translate system requirements into implementable architectures.
- Evaluate emerging optical emitter and receiver technologies and their integration with high-speed electrical interfaces.
- Assess new technologies for short-reach optical interconnects, including highly parallel optical architectures and emerging emitter technologies.
- Define electrical and optical interfaces, including requirements for drivers, receivers, modulators, photodetectors, lasers/emitters, and optical coupling.
- Lead architectural trade studies between electrical copper, VCSEL, laser-based silicon photonics, CPO, and emerging optical I/O technologies.
- Develop system-level specifications and contribute to technology roadmaps and product strategy.
- Work with semiconductor and photonics partners to evaluate technology feasibility, performance, scalability, and manufacturability.
- Support prototype development, system validation, and characterisation of high-speed optical links.
Experience
- Experience with 224G/448G architectures is highly desirable.
- Experience with advanced semiconductor packaging, chiplets, interposers, or 2.5D/3D integration.
- Experience with optical I/O at the package or die level.
- Experience with photonic integrated circuits (PICs) and/or silicon photonics.
- Understanding of laser and emitter technologies, including VCSELs, DFB/EML lasers, and emerging microLED-based optical sources.
- Experience developing technology roadmaps and evaluating emerging semiconductor/photonics technologies.
- Experience taking an interconnect technology from architecture through prototype and production.
Optical Interconnect Architect employer: Plessey Semiconductors Ltd
Plessey Semiconductors Ltd is an exceptional employer that fosters a collaborative and innovative work culture, particularly for the Finance Systems Lead role. Located in the UK, employees benefit from a supportive environment that encourages professional growth through continuous learning and development opportunities, while also being part of a forward-thinking team dedicated to driving process improvements in finance systems.
Contact Details:
Plessey Semiconductors Ltd Recruitment Team
