Job Description

Advanced Architectures Team lead

Department: R&D

Employment Type: Full Time

Location: Plymouth

This is a key technical leadership role within Plessey’s advanced technology organisation. The successful candidate will lead a small team of engineers focused on the development and industrialisation of new device architectures, while establishing processes, methodologies, and technical protocols across multiple emerging technology areas.

The role will work closely with epitaxy, optics, and device physics teams to drive innovation from concept through fabrication, characterisation, and technology transfer into scalable manufacturing environments.

This position is ideal for an individual with a strong technical background in semiconductor devices, photonics, and advanced process integration, combined with a proven track record of developing new architectures and leading multidisciplinary R&D activities.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the development of next-generation semiconductor and photonic device architectures.
• Define and implement technical processes, workflows, and engineering protocols for emerging technology programs.
• Establish best practices for device fabrication, characterization, testing, and process integration.
• Work closely with epitaxy, optics and photonics, device physics, process integration and manufacturing teams.
• Translate research concepts into manufacturable technology solutions.
• Support technology transfer activities from R&D into production environments.
• Lead and mentor a small team of engineers and researchers.
• Coordinate technical priorities, project execution, and development activities.
• Foster a collaborative and innovation-driven engineering culture.
• Contribute to long-term technology roadmap development.
• Identify new opportunities in photonics and advanced semiconductor architectures.
• Support intellectual property generation including patents and technical publications.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

• PhD preferred in Semiconductor Physics, Materials Science, Photonics, Electronic Engineering or related discipline.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience in IIIV semiconductor or photonics R&D environments.
• Strong technical expertise in semiconductor device physics and advanced fabrication technologies.
• Proven experience developing and implementing new device architectures.
• Hands-on experience with semiconductor process development and characterisation.
• Experience working within multidisciplinary engineering teams.
• Proven experience with advanced semiconductor and photonic device architectures within MicroLED or Optical compute would be an advantage.
  

Benefits

• Pension scheme
• Private medical & dental insurance
• 28 days’ holiday + bank holidays
• Free onsite meals
• Onsite gym
• Relocation support
• Visa support available