
Vertical Aerospace · Bristol
Our Mission At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing), 'zero emis...
Our Mission
At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and
landing), 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky.
We won't realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed, instead, we want to
'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years
will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals. Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in
2029 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.
What to Expect
As the Senior Modelling & Simulation Engineer for Flight Control Systems, you'll provide the technical leadership for the
development and integration of our Flight Control System model into our aircraft model. You'll define how flight control models
are developed, integrated, validated, and deployed across our aircraft simulation environments, ensuring they support engineering
development, verification, and certification.
Working within the Modelling and Simulation team, you'll collaborate closely with Flight Controls engineers, software teams,
systems engineers, and external suppliers to deliver robust, high-fidelity models that accurately represent the aircraft's flight
control system. You'll lead the evolution of our modelling approach, drive best practice, and ensure our simulation capability
remains credible, traceable, and fit for purpose across desktop simulation, pilot-in-the-loop, and hardware-in-the-loop
environments.
What You'll Do
and modelling strategy.
and system interfaces.
appropriate fidelity and alignment with the physical system.
challenges, and deliver integrated simulation solutions.
hardware-in-the-loop environments.
and robustness.
simulation evidence.
capability.
What You'll Bring
expert knowledge of MATLAB and Simulink for model development, analysis, and verification.
real-time, and hardware-in-the-loop simulation environments.
code generation techniques.
implementation.
What can you expect from us?
We're on a mission. Where others see limits, we see opportunity, and we work at pace. Working at Vertical isn't your average role
but for those seeking a challenge, a flexible, supportive organisation and an incredible team; working here is an opportunity to
do the best work of your career.
Our approach promotes ingenuity and courage, while our environment builds success through diligence in safety and being open in
the way we work. The only way we're going to assure the next chapter of aviation history is by working as a team, relentlessly,
towards our goal.
Our benefits
Our people matter - we're not going anywhere without them. Which is why our company benefits go beyond the essentials.
We may just be the hardest job you've ever had, but we're confident it will be the most rewarding. Join the team today and help us
shape the future of Advanced Air Mobility.
Disclaimer Statement
We encourage you to apply even if you may not have all the experience listed in the advert. We recognise that talent comes in
various forms and we are committed to providing opportunities that create an environment of growth, diversity, and inclusion for
everyone. As part of our desire to review and make our processes fair, we may ask you questions related to these aspects during
the application process. For more information on how we will use your data, see our Legal section.
At CoMind, we are developing a non-invasive neuromonitoring technology that will result in a new era of clinical brain monitoring. In joining us, you will be helping to create cutting-edge technologies that will improve how we diagnose and treat brain disorders, ultimately improving and saving the lives of patients across the world. THE ROLE: The Optical Engineering team at CoMind is responsible for the photonics systems at the heart of CoMind’s technology, designing and developing the laser interferometry platform that enables continuous, non-invasive measurement of human physiology parameters. The team spans optical system design, component selection and test, precision alignment, optical modelling, and integration with mechanical and electronic subsystems. As Staff Optics Engineer, you will be a senior individual contributor within the Optical Engineering team, taking ownership of complex optical design challenges and contributing to the development and integration of the photonic platform from concept through to validated hardware. You will have a strong background in developing and manufacturing complex photonic based products. The role reports into the Optical Engineering Manager within the Product Development team. You will work closely with component suppliers, research, product development and manufacturing teams to integrate leading edge photonic components including fiber optics lasers, PICs, custom photodetectors into the products. With a strong background in photonics based product design, you will work across optical system design, experimental characterisation, and subsystem integration and manufacturing. At CoMind, all team members work at least 4 days per week in the office, plus a flexible work-from-home day. This role can be based in either the London (Kings Cross) or Bristol office. RESPONSIBILITIES: * Own the design, modelling, and characterisation of optical subsystems including interferometry configurations, laser beam delivery, optical path optimisation, and stray light management * Drive experimental work to validate optical performance, including alignment procedures, sensitivity testing, and signal-to-noise analysis under clinically relevant conditions * Develop and maintain optical simulation models using tools such as Zemax, COMSOL, or equivalent, and translate simulation outputs into design specifications and tolerancing requirements * Work with photonic component suppliers including laser manufacturers for the development of custom solutions for CoMind’s products. * Support the integration of optical subsystems with mechanical, electronic, and embedded software components, working cross-functionally to ensure coherent end-to-end performance * Contribute to design reviews, risk analyses, and verification and validation activities in line with ISO 14971, ISO 13485, and IEC 60601-1 * Author and review technical documentation including optical design specifications, test protocols, and evidence packages for regulatory submissions * Identify and evaluate new optical components, materials, and approaches that could advance CoMind One’s sensing capabilities or improve manufacturability * AI is fundamental to our culture — it’s not just a tool, but a core part of how we work, collaborate, and innovate. We expect all team members to embrace AI in their daily work and continuously find new ways to use it effectively SKILLS & EXPERIENCE: * 10+ years of experience in optical engineering, with hands-on experience designing and validating precision optical systems * Deep expertise in laser interferometry, coherent optical sensing, or closely related optical measurement techniques * Experience in developing custom photonic components such as laser diodes, PICs or photodetector arrays. * Proficiency with optical simulation and modelling tools (Zemax, COMSOL, or similar) and experience translating simulation outputs into validated hardware designs * Strong experimental background, including precision optical alignment, characterisation, and troubleshooting of complex optical assemblies * Experience working within a regulated industry (medical devices, defence, semiconductor, or similar) with familiarity with ISO 14971 and design control processes * Solid understanding of optical component technologies including laser sources, photodetectors, fibre optics, beamsplitters, and optical coatings NICE TO HAVE: * Background in biophotonics, diffuse optical imaging, or optical coherence tomography * Experience with miniaturisation of optical systems for wearable or portable hardware * Familiarity with cleanroom assembly and precision alignment techniques * Experience with tolerance analysis and DFM for optical assemblies at production scale * Knowledge of FDA regulatory pathways for optical medical devices BENEFITS: * Company equity plan so all employees share in the success of the company * Salary-sacrifice pension scheme * Private medical, dental and vision insurance (medical history disregarded) * Group life assurance at 4x annual income * Comprehensive mental health support, including unlimited access to 1:1 sessions with trained professionals * Unlimited holiday allowance (+ bank holidays) and one week of remote working per quarter * Lunch voucher (£10) every day for JustEat and free dinner on those days where you need to work later * Twice weekly deliveries of fresh fruit and an extensive selection of snacks and drinks * YuLife subscription, allowing you to turn your daily steps and meditation into discounts at a range of stores DISCLAIMER - We use AI notetaking tools to transcribe interviews for internal review. 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ABOUT GRAPHCORE At Graphcore, we’re building the future of AI compute. We’re a team of semiconductor, software and AI experts, with deep experience in creating the complete AI compute stack - from silicon and software to infrastructure at datacenter scale. As part of the SoftBank Group, backed by significant long-term investment, we are delivering key technology into the fast-growing SoftBank AI ecosystem.To meet the vast and exciting AI opportunity, Graphcore is expanding its teams around the world. We are bringing together the brightest minds to solve the toughest problems, in a place where everyone has the opportunity to make an impact on the company, our products and the future of artificial intelligence. JOB SUMMARY We are seeking a Senior Semiconductor Reliability Engineer to lead reliability strategy and execution across advanced silicon nodes and advanced packaging technologies, spanning both pre-silicon and post-silicon phases. This role is responsible for ensuring robust product reliability from technology selection and design enablement through silicon bring-up, qualification, and high-volume manufacturing. The successful candidate will work at the intersection of device physics, circuit design, packaging, and manufacturing, providing technical leadership on reliability risk assessment, modeling, qualification, and failure analysis for complex, high-performance devices. THE ROLE As a Senior Reliability Engineer, you will lead reliability strategy and qualification activities for advanced AI silicon and package technologies. You’ll work across pre-silicon analysis, post-silicon qualification, and failure analysis, partnering closely with silicon, packaging, manufacturing, and quality teams. This role combines deep technical expertise with cross-functional leadership and offers the opportunity to influence reliability methodology for cutting-edge AI hardware platforms. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES * Define reliability requirements for advanced silicon nodes and package platforms * Perform pre-silicon reliability risk assessments across silicon, interconnect, and package technologies * Evaluate reliability mechanisms including EM, TDDB, BTI, HCI, BEOL, and silicon-package interaction * Support design reviews, guard-banding, and reliability sign-off activities * Develop and execute qualification plans aligned with JEDEC and customer requirements * Lead HTOL, thermal cycling, thermal shock, and reflow qualification testing * Drive correlation between pre-silicon modelling and post-silicon qualification results * Lead root-cause analysis of silicon and package-related failures * Utilize X-ray and CSAM analysis to diagnose package defects including delamination, voiding, and cracking * Work with foundries, OSATs, and reliability labs to resolve reliability and manufacturing issues * Author qualification reports, risk assessments, and reliability documentation * Mentor engineers and contribute to reliability best practices and methodologies ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CANDIDATE PROFILE ESSENTIAL * Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Materials Science, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or related field * 8+ years of semiconductor reliability engineering experience * Strong understanding of silicon reliability mechanisms including EM, TDDB, BTI, and HCI * Experience with BEOL, interconnect, and advanced package reliability * Hands-on experience with HTOL, thermal cycling, thermal shock, and reflow testing * Experience using X-ray and CSAM for package failure analysis * Familiarity with JEDEC reliability standards * Strong analytical, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills DESIRABLE * Experience with leading-edge nodes, AI accelerators, or high-performance SoCs * Knowledge of HBM, chiplets, TSVs, micro-bumps, and 2.5D/3D integration * Experience with wafer-level reliability or system-level stress testing * Experience working with foundries and OSAT partners * Technical leadership or mentoring experience ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- BENEFITS In addition to a competitive salary, Graphcore offers flexible working, a generous annual leave policy, private medical insurance and health cash plan, a dental plan, pension (matched up to 5%), life assurance and income protection. We have a generous parental leave policy and an employee assistance programme (which includes health, mental wellbeing, and bereavement support). We offer a range of healthy food and snacks at our central Bristol office and have our own barista bar! We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we’re committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments. We are able to provide visa sponsorship or support for visa applications
About Graphcore At Graphcore, we’re building the future of AI compute.We’re a team of semiconductor, software and AI experts, with deep experience in creating the complete AI compute stack - from silicon and software to infrastructure at datacenter scale.As part of the SoftBank Group, backed by significant long-term investment, we are delivering key technology into the fast-growing SoftBank AI ecosystem.To meet the vast and exciting AI opportunity, Graphcore is expanding its teams around the world.We are bringing together the brightest minds to solve the toughest problems, in a place where everyone has the opportunity to make an impact on the company, our products and the future of artificial intelligence. Job Summary Our team is at the forefront of the artificial intelligence revolution, enabling innovators from all industries and sectors to expand human potential with technology. The availability of specialised artificial intelligence compute will be a decisive factor in AI’s rate of progress. Graphcore allows innovators to go further, faster. What we do really makes a difference. Reporting to the Director of Silicon Architecture, the SoC Architects are responsible for the design, specification, modelling and integration of sub-systems within complex, high performance and highly integrated silicon devices at the forefront of AI acceleration technology. The role involves close collaboration with other groups, including architecture, silicon design, verification, hardware and software teams. The Team The Silicon Architecture Team sits within the COO group. The SoC architects are responsible for the architectural specification, integration, modelling, validation and evaluation of numerous critical sub-systems, including high-speed interfaces for our upcoming AI acceleration platforms. Responsibilities and Duties * Distilling product requirements and their effects on SoC/platform design trade-offs * Collaborating with processor, SoC and system architects to determine optimal solutions * Understanding of how to collaborate with silicon design, verification, and hardware engineers to demonstrate awareness and options for implementation correctness * Evaluating potential hard and soft third-party IP and liaising with third party IP vendors * Design and specification of performant SoC sub-systems and their associated integrations * Contribute to the silicon bring-up, characterisation and evaluation activities as required * Silicon Architecture Team representation within cross-functional working groups * Implement improvements to infrastructure and processes * Assist with complex debugging activities * Mentors Engineers with technical queries Candidate Profile Essential: * Degree in Electronic Engineering, Computer Science or related subject * Solid understanding of computer/SoC architecture * Excellent communication skills * Good experience in the writing of technical specifications * Knowledge of RTL development and verification processes * Be highly motivated, a self-starter, and a team player * Ability to work across teams and programming languages Desirable * Experience in the technical specification of complex silicon SoC devices * Experience of machine learning or massively parallel computing systems * Verilog * Low-level software experience, embedded C * Knowledge of one or more of DDR, PCIe, Ethernet, on-chip networks Benefits In addition to a competitive salary, annual leave policy, medical and dental health plans, a gym card and employee pension (matched up to 4%). We review our benefits on a yearly basis to ensure we offer a valuable and rewarding benefits programme to our employees. We welcome people of different backgrounds and experiences; we’re committed to building an inclusive work environment that makes Graphcore a great home for everyone. We offer an equal opportunity process and understand that there are visible and invisible differences in all of us. We can provide a flexible approach to interview and encourage you to chat to us if you require any reasonable adjustments.