Senior Optical Engineer, Biophotonics (m/f/d)

Nanotemper; München; Hybrid; EUR 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible hybrid model

Job summary

NanoTemper creates biophysical tools and reagents for discovery, development, and beyond. Our precise characterization solutions turn complex measurements into clear decisions, from early research through commercial production. We are driven by a collaborative mindset and a shared vision: a world where every disease is treatable.

We work in the heart of Munich with excellent public transportation access. We work in a flexible hybrid model.

Qualifications

• PhD or equivalent in optical engineering, biophotonics, physics, microscopy, or related field preferred.
• Strong hands-on experience building and aligning optical experiments and instrumentation.
• Experience with optical system design, ray tracing, illumination or detection systems.

Responsibilities

• Develop, characterize, and optimize optical systems and workflows for NSM, fluorescence microscopy and FCS.
• Design and troubleshoot illumination and detection systems across optics, lasers, detectors, and electronics.
• Plan and run experiments with biomolecules and model systems; analyze data and communicate conclusions.
• Move concepts toward robust, manufacturable products through fast hands-on iteration.
• Document methods, results, and decisions, aligning with quality and development standards.
• Take ownership and collaborate across disciplines to drive lab work toward customer impact.

Skills

Optical engineering

Biophotonics

Microscopy

Data analysis

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

English communication

Education

PhD in Optical Engineering or related field

Job description

Your mission

• Develop, characterize, and optimize optical systems and measurement workflows for advanced biophysical instrumentation, with a focus on NSM, fluorescence microscopy, and FCS.
• Design and troubleshoot illumination and detection systems, working across optical design, ray tracing, optomechanics, lasers, detectors, electronics, and instrument integration.
• Plan and run experiments with proteins, nucleic acids, nanoparticles, and other relevant model systems; analyze data and communicate clear conclusions.
• Move concepts and prototypes toward robust, manufacturable products through fast, hands-on iteration and practical problem solving.
• Document methods, results, technical decisions, and learnings, while working with relevant quality and development standards.
• Take ownership, bring a can-do mindset, and collaborate across disciplines to drive topics from the lab toward customer impact.

Your expertise

• Approximately five years of relevant industry experience; A PhD in optical engineering, biophotonics, physics, microscopy, or a related field is preferred.
• Strong hands-on experience building, aligning, characterizing, and troubleshooting optical experiments and instrumentation.
• Experience with optical system design, ray tracing, illumination or detection systems, and optomechanics.
• Experience with NSM, fluorescence microscopy, FCS, confocal methods, single-molecule methods, or related techniques.
• Experience working experimentally with biomolecules or model systems such as proteins, nucleic acids, or nanoparticles.
• Strong data-analysis and scientific programming skills, for example in Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW.
• Systems-level thinking, an independent and exploratory mindset, and the ability to turn open questions into clear experimental conclusions.
• Strong English communication skills and a collaborative, proactive approach.

Why us?

NanoTemper creates biophysical tools and reagents for discovery, development, and beyond. Our precise characterization solutions turn complex measurements into clear decisions, from early research through commercial production. We are driven by a collaborative mindset and a shared vision: a world where every disease is treatable.
We work in the heart of Munich with excellent public transportation access. We work in a flexible hybrid model. We value regular in-person collaboration, while offering the flexibility to work remotely when it makes sense.