Role Overview 

The mechanical design engineer will be involved in the design, prototyping and testing of mechanical components, modules and complete systems. The role will require a creative analytical approach to design novel and elegant mechanical solutions for Refeyn’s current and next generation instruments.

They will join the growing engineering team, and will liaise with research, product and operations teams to capture requirements and translate these into technical specifications. The mechanical design engineer will take accountability and responsibility for producing 3D designs and mechanical drawings, validation/verification activities and continuous improvement of Refeyn’s product portfolio.

This can role can be either a level 4 - Mechanical Design Engineer or a level 5 - Senior Mechanical Design Engineer, depending on experience 

Key responsibilities for this role include:  

• Mechanical design engineering of key modules and features, from product concept through to customer delivery.
• Work closely with product, research and operations teams, gathering and translating requirements for specification, design, test and evaluation, delivery to production and production support.
• Interaction with critical suppliers across a range of products, materials and processes (machining, fabrication, finishing, casting, injection moulding etc)
• Apply mechanical design knowledge and proven skills to produce mechanical systems that meet user requirements, performance specifications, quality, and robustness targets. A clear understanding of all aspects of the mechanical design is critical.
• Understand, design and implement simple user interactions and ergonomics.
• Produce detailed models, design drawings, documentation and prototypes of critical modules and systems.
• Oversee testing, internal evaluation and conformance testing of mechanical assemblies.
• Produce technical documentation, assembly and installation instructions of critical modules and assemblies
• Support handover of new features/products/modules to production and addressing ECRs and NCRs in collaboration with the Operations team as part of Refeyn’s continuous improvement effort
• Take ownership of the mechanical design drawing packs for Refeyn’s product portfolio

We are ideally looking for someone with the following skills and experience:

• MEng in mechanical engineering or similar, or equivalent experience 
• Laser alignment and construction
• Systems, process engineering
• Practical electronics experience (desirable)
• Mechanical design of systems involving optics, detectors and electronics.
• Product design involving high precision optical alignment and design for manufacture.
• Expert use of mechanical engineering CAD systems (SolidWorks), tolerance analysis and thermal design
• Experience developing scientific instrumentation.
• Full cycle product development and transfer to manufacturing (desirable)
• Industrial design and ergonomic user interfaces/mechanisms
• Exposure to automated and motion systems
• Strong analytical and mathematical problem solving skills

We know there is no such thing as the perfect candidate and that there is great value in transferrable skills, so please don’t feel you have to tick all of the above boxes to apply!

Why work for Refeyn?

Compensation and core benefits

• We anticipate a base salary of £50,000 to £70,000 for this role, depending on candidate experience 
• 25 days annual leave per year in addition to bank holidays
• Up to 7% employer matched pension contribution
• Private health insurance from day one plus critical illness cover, income protection and life insurance
• Give as You Earn and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes.
• Annual Company and Individual bonus scheme 

Family Friendly Benefits

Refeyn offers YellowNest Nursery Scheme to all employees once probation is passed, and new parents can benefit from up to 17 weeks fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, 4 weeks fully paid paternity leave, plus an annual allowance for emergency childcare.

Supporting your Development

All employees receive access to Linkedin Learning which offers thousands of courses to support their personal and professional development. We also run frequent training sessions on both hard and soft skills.

Creating an Engaging Culture

Refeyn supports hybrid working where the role allows and offers flexible start and finish times. We also have a subsidised weekly lunch for onsite employees and a vibrant social calendar which includes holiday parties and midsummer festivals plus an annual team budget for managers to plan team-building activities.

Values-Led 

Refeyn is committed to celebrating each other’s differences and creating a dynamic, driven and diverse culture where everyone can flourish. We are proud to have been awarded Committed Status by the Inclusive Employers Standard in 2024 and are working hard to create a safe and empowering environment for all.

We firmly believe that there is great strength in building teams with different voices, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds so that we can continue to share the team workload and enable our customers to succeed, and we welcome applicants from all sections of society to join us on our mission to transform analytical workflows using the power of light.

Refeyn is proud to use anonymised hiring practices. Identifying information such as a candidate's name, email address, date of birth and photo will not be visible to the hiring manager when they review CVs.

Role Overview 

The Software Engineer will play a vital role in the design, development, troubleshooting, and debugging of software programs for both our existing product line and new innovations. This position involves developing software and tools that support design, infrastructure, and technology platforms, including operating systems, compilers, routers, networks, utilities, databases, and cloud-based or Internet-related tools. Additionally, the engineer will assess hardware compatibility and its influence on hardware design.

We are particularly keen on candidates who possess experience in embedded software development for this role.

Key responsibilities for this role include:  

• Design, develop, and maintain scalable systems software and platform tools to support new product development
• Build and enhance high-performance applications using object-oriented programming languages such as Python and Rust.
• Develop data processing pipelines, analytical models, and optimisation algorithms using scientific computing libraries including NumPy, SciPy, TensorFlow, and PyTorch.
• Create intuitive data visualisation and monitoring tools using Matplotlib, PyQtGraph, and related frameworks to support engineering and operational decision-making.
• Design and implement responsive desktop user interfaces using Qt, PySide6, and QML, ensuring strong usability and user experience standards.
• Troubleshoot, debug, and resolve complex software and system issues across development, testing, and production environments.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to influence system architecture, software design, and hardware compatibility decisions.
• Develop and maintain deployment pipelines and release automation processes using Azure DevOps Pipelines, PyInstaller, and CI/CD best practices.
• Implement robust software quality assurance practices, including automated testing, static analysis, and code quality validation using pytest, mypy, and pylint.
• Participate in agile software development processes, including sprint planning, backlog refinement, and technical documentation using Jira and Confluence.
• Manage source code, branching strategies, and peer code reviews using Git, Bitbucket, and related version control tools.
• Contribute to the continuous improvement of software engineering standards, development workflows, and testing methodologies.
• Support the full software development lifecycle from requirements gathering and prototyping through deployment, maintenance, and enhancement.
• Work closely with stakeholders to translate technical and operational requirements into reliable and maintainable software solutions.

We are ideally looking for someone with the following skills and experience:

• Strong object-oriented programming experience with Python and related modern development practices.
• Experience developing data analysis workflows, optimisation routines, and algorithms using scientific computing and machine learning frameworks including NumPy, SciPy, Jupyter, TensorFlow, and PyTorch.
• Proficient in creating data visualisation and analytical reporting tools using libraries such as Matplotlib and PyQtGraph.
• Experience designing and developing desktop user interfaces and user experiences using Qt and PySide2/PyQt5 frameworks.
• Knowledge of software packaging, deployment automation, and CI/CD processes using tools including PyInstaller and Azure DevOps Pipelines.
• Proficient in version control, branching strategies, and collaborative development workflows using Git, Sourcetree, and Bitbucket.
• Familiarity with Agile software development methodologies, issue tracking, sprint planning, and technical documentation using Jira and Confluence.
• Strong understanding of software quality assurance, automated testing, static analysis, and validation frameworks including pytest, mypy, pylint, Xray, and TestRail.

We know there is no such thing as the perfect candidate and that there is great value in transferrable skills, so please don’t feel you have to tick all of the above boxes to apply!

Why work for Refeyn?

Compensation and core benefits

• We anticipate a base salary of £45,000 to £60,000 for this role, depending on candidate experience 
• 25 days annual leave per year in addition to bank holidays
• Up to 7% employer matched pension contribution
• Private health insurance from day one plus critical illness cover, income protection and life insurance
• Give as You Earn and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes.
• Annual Company and Individual bonus scheme 
• Paid volunteer day

Family Friendly Benefits

Refeyn offers YellowNest Nursery Scheme to all employees once probation is passed, and new parents can benefit from up to 17 weeks fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, 4 weeks fully paid paternity leave, plus an annual allowance for emergency childcare.

Supporting your Development

All employees receive access to Linkedin Learning which offers thousands of courses to support their personal and professional development. We also run frequent training sessions on both hard and soft skills.

Creating an Engaging Culture

Refeyn supports hybrid working where the role allows and offers flexible start and finish times. We also have a subsidised weekly lunch for onsite employees and a vibrant social calendar which includes holiday parties and midsummer festivals plus an annual team budget for managers to plan team-building activities.

Values-Led 

Refeyn is committed to celebrating each other’s differences and creating a dynamic, driven and diverse culture where everyone can flourish. We are proud to have been awarded Committed Status by the Inclusive Employers Standard in 2024 and are working hard to create a safe and empowering environment for all.

We firmly believe that there is great strength in building teams with different voices, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds so that we can continue to share the team workload and enable our customers to succeed, and we welcome applicants from all sections of society to join us on our mission to advance discovery through innovation. 

Refeyn is proud to use anonymised hiring practices. Identifying information such as a candidate's name, email address, date of birth and photo will not be visible to the hiring manager when they review CVs.

• Analyse system requirements, functionality, and limitations from a software perspective
• Develop and agree test plans (EPIC/storyboard level) with software teams
• Execute functional testing across software using the Refeyn instrumentation
• Identify, log, and track defects in line with company processes
• Produce clear, detailed test reports and validate fixes through retesting
• Conduct Factory Acceptance Tests (FAT) on production instruments
• Support wider team activities as required

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering or Science

• Advanced experience in software functional testing
• Experience with laboratory instrumentation

• Agile team player
• Proactive in helping others and prioritising to keep things moving 

• We anticipate a salary between £42,000 and £52,000 for this role, depending on the candidate’s experience.
• 25 days annual leave per year in addition to bank holidays
• Up to 7% employer matched pension contribution
• Private health insurance from day one plus critical illness cover, income protection and life insurance
• Give as You Earn and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes.
• Annual Company and Individual bonus scheme 
   

• Support supplier selection, evaluation, and onboarding
• Conduct supplier audits (UK and international) and drive development activities
• Monitor supplier performance, including QBRs and quality agreements
• Define and align Critical-to-Quality (CTQ) requirements, especially during NPI
• Lead root cause analysis and manage supplier CAPA processes
• Drive continuous improvement and prevent recurring quality issues
• Ensure compliance with standards such as ISO 9001, ISO 13485, and ISO 14001

• Degree in Engineering, Quality, or related field

• Experience in manufacturing (optics or regulated industries preferred)
• Knowledge of ISO 9001 and ISO 14001 (ISO 13485 desirable)
• Skilled in problem-solving tools (8D, 5 Whys, Fishbone)
• Strong communication, negotiation, and supplier management skills
• Experience with audits and vendor quality performance measures

• Six Sigma or CQE certification
• Experience in medical, pharma, or aerospace sectors

• Right to work in the relevant country
• Willingness to travel (UK and international). Travel around 25-30% 
• Full driving licence

• We anticipate salary starting from £41,000 per annum, depending on candidate's experience 
• 25 days annual leave per year in addition to bank holidays
• Up to 7% employer matched pension contribution
• Private health insurance from day one plus critical illness cover, income protection and life insurance
• Give as You Earn and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes.
• Annual Company and Individual bonus scheme 

The Role:

Are you a skilled technician with a passion for precision? We're looking for a Manufacturing Technician to assemble, test, repair and refurbish cutting-edge instrumentation we are producing. Our product integrate lasers, electro-optic systems, 3D positioners and detection using high specification video cameras.  Instrument assembly therefore largely involves electronics box-build and optical alignment, and with sub-assembly components and full system build. Collection and strict management of data is also a key element of the role, as is involvement in Continuous Improvement tasks and projects.

What we’re looking for:

✔ Strong assembly skills with attention to detail
✔ Ability to work to strict deadlines
✔ Excellent communication and teamwork skills
✔ Commitment to Continuous Improvement and data accuracy

Key Responsibilities: 

Assembly and test of Mass Photometer instruments:

• Producing electrical harnesses
• Assembling electronic sub-systems
• Assembling and aligning optical components.
• Final Acceptance Testing (FAT) Test routines are bespoke to Refeyn, but clearly documented – training will be given.
• Producing equipment to detailed Work Instructions, assembly instructions and documented test routines.

Involvement at all stages of the wider operations and manufacturing processes, for example:

• To understand, design and implement lean manufacturing techniques to ensure the manufacture of both electronic and optical systems is well organised, straightforward to perform and provides an economical process.
• Work with bills of material, part procurement and stock holding to ensure forward planning and smooth running of the operations activities.
• Continuous improvement of operations facilities, tools and techniques. Having a continual focus on operations processes to increase productivity and reduce costs.
• Document protocols, in-process results, issues and potential improvements during operations activities. Archive of test results and tracking of key performance metrics.

Qualifications

University degree in relevant discipline or relevant industry experience

Skills & Experience required:

• Relevant industrial operations experience (approx. 3 years)
• Working in a laboratory environment requiring personal protective equipment (PPE) and handling of lasers and optics.
• Ability to assemble electronic subsystems, including fault finding (eg continuity testing).
• Experience of assembly of high precision and/or delicate parts, optics handling and use of lasers.
• Some experience of testing high-technology equipment prior to shipping.

Desirable:

• Experience of optical alignment using laser systems. Laser safety training to Class 4 laser use.
• Previous experience of assembling and testing scientific instrumentation.

Location:

This position is fully based on-site, 5 days per week in our Oxford office (Littlemore, Trade City)

Why work for Refeyn?

Compensation and core benefits

• We anticipate a salary between £30,000 and £36,000 for this role, depending on the candidate’s experience.
• 25 days annual leave per year in addition to bank holidays
• Up to 7% employer matched pension contribution
• Private health insurance from day one plus critical illness cover, income protection and life insurance
• Give as You Earn and Cycle to Work salary sacrifice schemes.
• Annual Company and Individual bonus scheme 

Family Friendly Benefits

Refeyn offers YellowNest Nursery Scheme to all employees once probation is passed, and new parents can benefit from up to 17 weeks fully paid maternity, adoption and shared parental leave, 4 weeks fully paid paternity leave, plus an annual allowance for emergency childcare.

Supporting your Development

All employees receive access to Linkedin Learning which offers thousands of courses to support their personal and professional development. We also run frequent training sessions on both hard and soft skills.

Creating an Engaging Culture

Refeyn supports hybrid working where the role allows and offers flexible start and finish times. We also have a subsidised weekly lunch for onsite employees and a vibrant social calendar which includes holiday parties and midsummer festivals plus an annual team budget for managers to plan team-building activities.

Values-Led 

Refeyn is committed to celebrating each other’s differences and creating a dynamic, driven and diverse culture where everyone can flourish. We are proud to have been awarded Committed Status by the Inclusive Employers Standard in 2024 and are working hard to create a safe and empowering environment for all.

We firmly believe that there is great strength in building teams with different voices, experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds so that we can continue to share the team workload and enable our customers to succeed, and we welcome applicants from all sections of society to join us on our mission to transform analytical workflows using the power of light.

Refeyn is proud to use anonymised hiring practices. Identifying information such as a candidate's name, email address, date of birth and photo will not be visible to the hiring manager when they review CVs.