Postdoctoral Researcher in Photonic Systems for Next-Generation Optical Access Networks

Postdoctoral Researcher in Photonic Systems for Next-Generation Optical Access Networks

About Tyndall
Tyndall National Institute is an international leader in semiconductors, photonics and deep-tech research and innovation. As a leading collaborative European research institute, Tyndall is a key actor and hosting partner in the delivery of the ‘Chips for Europe Initiative’ (EU Chips Act).

Tyndall is Ireland’s leading research and innovation organisation and it is the national focal point for excellence in deep-tech research, development and graduate training at the convergence of nanotechnology, microelectronics, photonics, electronics and AI. Tyndall is recognised as an international research leader in semiconductor, chip and digital technologies, particularly as applied to the fields of Information & Communications, Health & Life Sciences, Agritech & Food Security, Energy and Climate Mitigation, emerging fields such as quantum, and novel computing paradigms.

The Institute’s key objective is to see frontier research activities having a significant impact on economic development and societal challenges in Ireland, Europe and beyond. Central to Tyndall’s mission is delivering economic impact through research excellence in partnership with industry and academia. With an annual turnover of more than €50m, the Institute has a community of over 600 researchers, engineers, support staff, postgraduate students, interns and industry researchers-in-residence.

With significant committed Irish government support, Tyndall will grow to be 1,000 people by 2030, with approximately 750 researchers, including 250 PhD students. A new 17,000 m2 research building is under development adjacent to the Cork headquarters and there are developing plans to expand Tyndall’s existing Dublin research labs and to establish other research sites within Ireland.

Tyndall’s expansion is also supported by recent national and EU funding wins for significant (M€10’s) additional research equipment across a range of areas such as semiconductor processing, microscopy, quantum technologies, heterogeneous integration, ultra-high speed optical communications and RF through THz characterisation.

About the Team
The successful candidate will join the Photonic Systems Group at Tyndall National Institute, a research team with strong expertise in optical communications, photonic systems, and future network technologies. The group carries out experimental and system-level research across a range of themes, including optical access networks, datacentre interconnects, fibre sensing, and advanced physical-layer technologies.

The team provides a collaborative research environment with access to advanced laboratory infrastructure and close engagement with academic and industrial partners. This role offers the opportunity to contribute to research that connects optical subsystem behaviour with end-to-end system performance in next-generation communication networks.

About the Role
This role is aimed at a researcher with experience in optical communications, passive optical networks, and experimental physical-layer investigation. The successful candidate will contribute to research on high-speed optical access transmission, with a focus on burst-mode behaviour, transmitter and receiver performance, optical impairments, fibre reach, and validation under realistic network conditions.

The work will involve experimental studies on emerging high-capacity access systems, including optical margin, sensitivity, dynamic range, coexistence, and dispersion- and reflection-related penalties, aligned with future 50G and 100G optical access networks.

The role offers the opportunity to work at the intersection of optical access architectures and photonic system performance, and is well suited to candidates interested in how device- and subsystem-level behaviour shapes end-to-end network performance.

Key Duties & Responsibilities

• Carry out experimental research on the physical layer of next-generation optical access systems.
• Design and execute optical transmission experiments for characterisation of transmitter and receiver behaviour and investigate impairments.
• Analyse measurement data and produce technical reports, publications, research outputs, and input to future funding proposals.
• Contribute to the supervision and day-to-day guidance of student projects where appropriate.
• Contribute to future research proposals in higher-capacity optical access systems, including pathways beyond current 25G-class implementations.
• Work closely with academic and industrial collaborators within a broader photonic systems research environment.
• Participate in Education and Public Engagement activities.
• Ensure compliance with Tyndall’s Quality Management Systems, Health and Safety standards, and other regulations.
• To carry out any additional duties that may reasonably be required within the general scope and level of the post.

Essential Criteria

• PhD in Photonics, Optical Communications, Electronic Engineering, Physics, or a closely related discipline.
• Strong background in optical communications and experimental photonic systems.
• Experience with physical-layer characterisation of optical links or subsystems.
• Good knowledge of receiver sensitivity, BER/FEC performance, optical power budget, dynamic range, modulation quality, and transmission impairments.
• Experience with laboratory instrumentation and with Python or MATLAB for data analysis, measurement control, or post-processing.

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in passive optical networks or fibre access systems.
• Familiarity with burst-mode transmission or burst-mode receiver challenges.
• Experience in IM/DD transmission, multilevel modulation, or coherent optical systems.
• Track record of high-quality publications in optical communications or photonic systems.
• Evidence of entrepreneurial experience and creative skills/creativity.

What We Offer
Apart from offering a position in a very successful and positive research environment, with a collaborative ethos full of diverse competencies to boost your career, we offer the following:
 

• Impactful Work: Opportunities to contribute to ground-breaking research and innovation that shape Ireland’s economy and the society at large.
• Continuous Learning: Strong support for formal training, further study and professional development.
• Interdisciplinary Environment: Where academia, industry, and innovation intersect - supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and expert knowledge.
• Blended Working: Flexibility to work remotely and on-site, where the role allows.
• Comprehensive Benefits: Access to UCC pension, long-term illness benefit, life assurance, and more.
• Generous Leave: Competitive annual leave entitlements.
• Equity & Inclusion: Athena Swan Bronze award holder, with ongoing initiatives led by a dedicated People and Culture team to ensure equity for all.
• Core Values: A culture grounded in Ambition, Collaboration, Diversity, Excellence, and Integrity.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: A proactive, innovation-driven environment that welcomes entrepreneurial and creative thinkers, including those with start-up experience.
• Supportive Onboarding: Structured induction and mentoring to help new hires integrate and thrive.
• Vibrant Culture: A collaborative, people-first workplace with a strong sense of community.

Terms of Employment
Contract Category: Full-Time
Contract Type: Fixed Term
Contract Duration: 1 Year

Appointment may be made on the IUA Scale for Post Doctoral Researcher (new entrants) salary €46,805 - € 53,391 per annum. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with the public sector pay policy.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence to Dr. Cleitus Antony.
Closing date for applications for this position is 1pm, 29th May 2026

Application Instructions
Please make sure to attach an up-to-date CV/Resume AND a brief motivation letter outlining how you meet the ‘Essential Criteria’ for this role.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.
Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on university approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.

Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies.
Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.