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

NanoTemper Technologies; München; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

NanoTemper Technologies seeks an experienced optical systems engineer to develop, characterize, and optimize measurement workflows for advanced biophysical instrumentation, with a focus on NSM, fluorescence microscopy, and FCS. You will design and troubleshoot illumination and detection systems, spanning optical design, ray tracing, optomechanics, lasers, detectors, electronics, and instrument integration.

Plan and run experiments with proteins, nucleic acids, nanoparticles, and other model

Qualifications

• Five years of relevant industry experience or PhD-equivalent exposure preferred.
• Experience with optical system design, alignment, characterization, and troubleshooting.
• Experience with NSM, fluorescence microscopy, FCS, confocal methods, or related techniques.

Responsibilities

• Develop, characterize, and optimize optical systems and measurement workflows for advanced biophysical instrumentation, focusing on NSM, fluorescence microscopy, and FCS.
• Design and troubleshoot illumination and detection systems across optical design, ray tracing, optomechanics, lasers, detectors, electronics, and instrument integration.
• Plan and run experiments with proteins, nucleic acids, nanoparticles, and other 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 quality and development standards.

Skills

Optical engineering

Biophotonics

Fluorescence microscopy

FCS

NSM

Data analysis

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

English communication

Education

PhD in optical engineering/biophotonics/physics/microscopy or related field

Tools

Optical design software

Ray tracing

Lab instrumentation

Job description

• 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 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.

About Us

Our vision at NanoTemper is to help create a world where every disease is treatable. What drives us is partnering with scientists to ‘make a difference’ in the world.

With our biophysical instruments we want to push the limits of what is possible for scientific researchers.

The goals are big and audacious. Hence, it requires very innovative ways and a strong team to get there.

Even if we are an expanding global company with more than 200 employees the heart of NanoTemper beats in Munich. This is where our story began and every day we work as one team to make our devices even better.

Our doors are open for talented people excited about the future of scientific research and our vision.

Do you want to make a difference with your daily work and become part of our mission? We are looking forward to get to know you.

But why not let your new colleagues tell you personally what it's like to be part of NanoTemper?