Application Engineer Integrated Photonics

Ligentec; Ecublens; On-site; CHF 140,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Home office up to two days per week

Job summary

LIGENTEC is seeking an experienced Business Development professional to drive growth in the photonics space from its Lausanne hub. You will bridge customer needs with our technical PIC solutions, manage engagements across academia and industry, and lead PoC studies to close deals.

The role requires a MSc/PhD in Photonics (or related field) and 3+ years in integrated optics, with strong communication skills and English proficiency. Hybrid work with up to two remote days per week is available.

Qualifications

• MSc or PhD in Photonics (or related field) with 3+ years in integrated optics.
• Proven ability to translate customer needs into technical solutions.
• Strong technical sales, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sales strategies to expand business and pursue opportunities.
• Manage the full sales cycle from lead engagement to contract discussion and delivery.
• Cultivate high-level relationships with industrial and academic clients.
• Translate customer requirements into workable technical specs and close deals.
• Provide PoC PIC design studies and layouts; support pre- and post-sales activities.
• Draft Statements of Work and assist with grant proposals; provide market feedback to product/R&D.

Skills

Sales experience

Customer relationships

Technical communication

Photonic know-how

Education

MSc or PhD in Photonics (or related field)

Tools

CRM software

Photonic design tools

Job description

About LIGENTEC

We're a multicultural team of experts pushing the boundaries of what's possible in integrated optics. Our mission is to make photonic integration accessible and industrially scalable. We deliver best-in-class PIC platforms, design enablement, and integrated solutions that empower our customers to innovate faster and bring light-based technologies from concept to production.

About the role

Drive the growth of LIGENTEC’s business by acting as a proactive bridge between customer needs and our technical solutions. Provide excellent customer experience through a combination of strategic sales engagement, technical product expertise, and relationship management.

What you will do

• Develop and execute sales strategies to expand our business, identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.
• Manage the full sales cycle, from lead engagement to contract discussion and project delivery.
• Cultivate and maintain high-level customer relationships, acting as the primary point of contact for industrial and academic clients.
• Translate complex customer requirements into workable technical specifications, leveraging in-depth product knowledge to close deals.
• Provide proof-of-concept PIC design studies and layouts
• Deliver pre- and post-sales technical support to ensure customer success and long-term retention.
• Elaborate and discuss SoW with customers and engineering counterparts
• Contribute to marketing strategy, including application notes, webinars, and talks that drive lead generation.
• Provide continuous feedback to product management and R&D to align our offerings with market trends and customer requirements.
• Support in writing of grant proposals

What you bring

You hold an MSc or PhD in Photonics (or a related field), backed by 3+ years of hands-on experience in integrated optics and industry-standard software tools. In this dynamic role, you bring sharp technical problem-solving skills and a strong aptitude for technical sales and business development. As an open-minded, highly communicative, and adaptable team player, you excel at presenting complex technical concepts effortlessly to both technical and non-technical stakeholders. If you combine a customer-focused mindset with an innovative drive, working proficiency in English, and the flexibility to thrive both independently and across diverse teams, we want you on our team.

Nice to have:

• - Experience drafting Statements of Work or managing grant-funded research projects.
• - Familiarity with CRM systems and technical sales processes.

What we offer

A dynamic role at the heart of the deep-tech revolution where your technical expertise directly impacts product adoption. You will join an international team of specialists, gain deep exposure to market-leading photonic applications, and shape how photonic integration is deployed worldwide.

Practicalities

• - Location: Lausanne, Switzerland.
• - Work percentage: 100%.
• - Languages: English is our working language, other languages are a plus.
• - Home office: up to two days per week.
• - Start date: As soon as possible.

We are an equal-opportunity employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds.