Company Description: EDWATEC SA is a high-tech startup founded in 2023 and a spin-off from EPFL. Our proprietary erbium-doped photonic integrated circuit technology enables on-chip optical amplification and lasing. By replacing legacy optical amplifiers with highly compact, high-performance, and scalable photonic integrated amplifiers, we create new opportunities in AI datacenter interconnects, optical communications, space applications, quantum technologies, optical metrology, fiber sensing, LiDAR, and long-haul networks.
Role Description
We are looking for a highly motivated Application Scientist to join our team and contribute to the development, validation, and deployment of our next-generation photonic integrated circuit products. This role sits at the interface of advanced R&D, customer-driven development, experimental photonics, and collaborative innovation projects. The candidate should combine deep scientific expertise with a hands‑on experimental mindset and strong communication skills.
Your Tasks
* Manage technical interactions with customers in R&D and product development projects, translating application‑level needs into scientific and technical requirements.
* Lead and coordinate internal R&D projects on photonic integrated circuits, optical amplifiers, lasers, and next‑generation integrated photonic products.
* Manage fundamental and applied technology development projects, including publicly funded programs such as EIC, ESA, Swiss, and European collaborative grants.
* Coordinate collaborations with research institutes, universities, industrial partners, and external technology providers.
* Design, build, and operate optical and photonic experimental setups for the characterization of PICs, optical amplifiers, lasers, and optical communication components.
* Analyze experimental data, prepare technical reports, and communicate results to customers, partners, grant agencies, and internal stakeholders.
* Contribute to the development roadmap of EDWATEC’s next‑generation products and help bridge early‑stage research results toward robust product concepts.
* Take responsibility for experimental laboratory organization, instrumentation, measurement procedures, documentation, and best practices.
* Supervise and mentor junior engineers, interns, master students, and PhD students involved in experimental and R&D activities.
* Represent the company in technical meetings, project reviews, conferences, workshops, and trade shows.
Your Profile
* PhD in photonics, optical communications, electrical engineering, applied physics, optics, or a closely related field.
* Strong track record in photonic integrated circuits, optical communication systems, integrated optics, lasers, optical amplifiers, or related experimental photonics fields.
* Solid understanding of PIC technologies, optical communication concepts, fiber optics, optical amplification, and system‑level photonic measurements.
* Proven hands‑on experience with optical and photonic experiments, including setup design, alignment, instrumentation, data acquisition, and measurement automation.
* Ability to manage technically complex R&D projects involving multiple internal and external stakeholders.
* Strong scientific writing and communication skills, including the ability to prepare technical reports, grant deliverables, presentations, and customer‑facing documentation.
* Experience with collaborative research projects, grant‑funded programs, or academic‑industrial partnerships is a strong plus.
* Programming experience, especially in Python for data acquisition, automation, and data analysis, is a plus.
* Highly organized, proactive, and able to work independently in a fast‑moving startup environment.
* Excellent proficiency in English; French is a plus.
* Residence and work permit in Switzerland or EU is a plus.
We Offer
* The opportunity to join a fast‑moving deep‑tech startup advancing integrated photonics for optical communications and other high‑impact markets.
* A central role at the interface of scientific R&D, customer projects, collaborative grants, and product development.
* The opportunity to work on next‑generation optical amplification and laser technologies based on photonic integrated circuits.
* A collaborative, creative, and international team environment.
* Access to advanced optical laboratories and the broader EPFL innovation ecosystem.
* An inspiring workplace in Lausanne, on the shores of Lake Geneva.
Activity rate: 100%.
Start date: As soon as possible.
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