Research Technician Biomedical Photonics

Role Title: Research Technician – Biomedical Photonics

Grade and Salary: Grade 6, £31,236 - £36,636 per annum

FTE and working pattern: Full-time (35hrs per week); Fixed-term (6 months)

Reward and Benefits: 33 days annual leave, plus 9 buildings closed days for all full time staff. Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University. 

About our Team

Within the Photonics Instrumentation Group (PhI), and specifically the “TannerLab” sub group we exploit novel photonic techniques such as time resolved single photon technologies and optical fibre sensors to tackle clinical/biomedical challenges and other real world applications.

Our work is primarily experimental, developing measurement systems and principles, with theory and analysis to support this. We strongly collaborate with clinical practitioners in order to move those systems towards application.

Purpose of Role 

This specific position is to support our ongoing project on NG Tube placement. This will be focussed on diffuse optical data analysis, optical phantom manufacture, and experimental data acquisition. This will use advanced detection techniques, such as time resolved imaging.

The role will be to support an existing PDRA in advancing testing and processing.

Due to the short term and ongoing project with strict time limits, this position is for someone with specific skills for rapid start and project progression.

Key Duties and Responsibilities 

• Processing and analysing multi-dimensional time resolved photon counting data based on principles of diffuse optics.
• Developing algorithms to categorise the above in specific medical use cases.
• Manufacturing diffuse optical phantoms as a parallel to clinical models,
• Performing rigorous and systematic experiments to characterise optical phantoms.
• Working with optical systems to perform the above.
• Working with time resolved photon counting techniques, specifically SPAD arrays, for measurements in the above.
• Reporting on the above through written summaries for the team, and potential feeding in to formal documentation.
• Assisting in the day-to-day maintenance of the experimental facilities.

Person Specification 

These are the criteria on which the short-listing and recruitment selection will be made.

Essential

1. A degree in physics or engineering or related discipline.
2. Direct experience operating optical systems for biological / medical application.
3. Experience of experimental data acquisition or experimental system in relevant coding languages (e.g. Matlab / python)
4. Experience of single photon counting techniques.
5. A proven academic ability and a demonstrable high level of technical competence in experimental science and the analysis / modelling of the results. 
6. The ability to articulate research work, both in technical reports / papers and by oral presentation.
7. The ability to work as part of a team on the experiments at Heriot-Watt and more widely with collaborators at other institutions.

Desirable

1. Due to the short term and rapid start requirements, direct experience of diffuse time resolved photon counting experiments and data is highly desirable.
   1. Extensive experience in CMOS based SPAD array characterisation/optimisation, control and application to biophotonics.
   2. Diffusion model simulations
   3. Diffusive phantom fabrication
   4. Demonstrated experience in analysing data from the above.

How to Apply

Please submit via the Heriot-Watt on-line recruitment system (1) Cover letter describing your interest and suitability for the post; (2) Full CV

Applications can be submitted until 23:55 on Monday 10th August 2026.

About Heriot-Watt University

At Heriot Watt we are passionate about our values and look to them to connect our people globally and to help us collaborate and celebrate our success through working together. Our research programmes can deliver real world impact which is achieved through the diversity of our international community and the recognition of creative talent that connects our global team.

Our flourishing community will give you the freedom to challenge and to bring your enterprising mind and to help our partners with solutions that can be applied now and in the future. Join us and Heriot Watt will provide you with a platform to thrive and work in a way that also helps you live your life in balance with well-being and inclusiveness at the heart of our global community.

Heriot-Watt University is committed to securing equality of opportunity in employment and to the creation of an environment in which individuals are selected, trained, promoted, appraised and otherwise treated on the sole basis of their relevant merits and abilities.  Equality and diversity are all about maximising potential and creating a culture of inclusion for all.

Heriot-Watt University values diversity across our University community and welcomes applications from all sectors of society, particularly from underrepresented groups. For more information, please see our website https://www.hw.ac.uk/uk/services/equality-diversity.htm and also our award-winning work in Disability Inclusive Science Careers https://disc.hw.ac.uk/ .

We welcome and will consider flexible working patterns e.g. part-time working and job share options.

Use our total rewards calculator: https://www.hw.ac.uk/about/work/total-rewards-calculator.htm to see the value of benefits provided by Heriot-Watt University.