Laser & Optics Engineer

Location: Malvern – 3 days onsite per week

We are supporting the growth of Laser & Optical Engineering teams and are looking for engineers with experience in the build, integration, verification and production of complex optical systems to help deliver next-generation High Energy Laser capabilities.

This is an opportunity to work on cutting-edge Laser Directed Energy Weapon (LDEW) programmes, taking innovative technologies from prototype through to qualified, field‑deployable products.

As a Laser & Optical Engineer, you will play a key role in the development and delivery of high-performance electro‑optical systems, ensuring products are designed, built, verified and transitioned successfully into production.

Working within multidisciplinary engineering teams, you'll contribute across the full product lifecycle from requirements capture and system integration through to verification, qualification and manufacturing support.

Training in High Energy Laser technologies will be provided, making this an excellent opportunity for engineers looking to expand their expertise within a world‑class defence environment.

• Build, assemble and integrate complex laser and optical systems and subsystems.
• Support system verification, validation and qualification activities against customer and product requirements.
• Develop and maintain a strong understanding of product functionality, performance and operational capability.
• Work with Systems Engineering teams to interpret, decompose and verify technical requirements.
• Support product introduction into manufacturing, ensuring designs are suitable for repeatable production.
• Investigate and resolve technical issues identified during build, integration and testing.
• Produce and maintain high-quality engineering documentation throughout the product lifecycle.
• Participate in design reviews, integration activities and technical problem‑solving.
• Work closely with mechanical, optical, electronics and systems engineers to deliver integrated solutions.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of engineering processes and manufacturing readiness.

• Experience building, integrating or testing complex laser, optical or electro‑optical systems.
• Strong understanding of product verification, validation and qualification processes.
• Experience working from system and subsystem requirements through to product delivery.
• Knowledge of production engineering and transitioning products into manufacture.
• Good understanding of optical assemblies, precision alignment or photonic systems.
• Experience working within structured engineering or systems engineering environments.
• Ability to investigate technical issues and support root‑cause analysis.
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to work across multidisciplinary teams.
• High Energy Laser or Directed Energy systems.
• Defence, aerospace or other highly regulated industries.
• Optical test equipment and laboratory environments.
• Product lifecycle development from concept through qualification.
• Technical input to bids, proposals or future product development.
• Experience supporting manufacturing and production engineering activities.

If you are passionate about optical engineering, product development and seeing advanced technology progress from concept to production, we'd love to hear from you.

Security Clearance (SC) or eligibility to gain is required to be considered for this vacancy.