Optical Design Engineer for SBC (English)

Ibsen Photonics A/S; Farum; On-site; DKK 373,134 - 597,015; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Supportive work environment

Fast decision-making

Healthy work-life balance

Job summary

A leading optical technology company in Farum, Denmark is seeking an Optical Design Engineer to develop cutting-edge SBC systems for high-power lasers. Candidates should have a PhD in relevant fields and hands-on experience with optical systems. This role demands creativity and independence, alongside collaboration in a fast-paced environment. Join a culture that values innovation and offers a balance between professional challenges and personal wellness.

Qualifications

• Proactive problem-solver thriving in a build-test-learn environment.
• Deep understanding of Gaussian optics and thermal laser effects.
• Experience in iterative design, experiment, and optimisation processes.

Responsibilities

• Develop compact SBC modules while considering thermal and mechanical constraints.
• Drive performance by refining optical alignment and stability.
• Use diagnostics to maintain beam quality during power scaling.
• Source components and manage transition from prototypes to scalable designs.
• Collaborate with internal teams and international partners.

Skills

Hands on experience with (high‑power) fibre and free‑space optical systems

Understanding of SBC and CBC beam combining techniques

Beam quality measurement and analysis

Mechanical design of low‑tolerance devices

Independent project management

Collaborative mindset

Education

PhD or Postdoc in Optics, Photonics, Laser Physics, or related field

Tools

Optical simulation tools (e.g., Zemax)

Mechanical CAD

Job description

Job Opening Optical Design Engineer Ibsen IT 2026-04-01T11:30:38+02:00

Optical Design Engineers for our High Power Beam Combining team

Location: Farum, Denmark | Level: PhD / Postdoc / Experienced Engineer

The Mission: Build the Next Generation of SBC Systems

At Ibsen Photonics, we are developing Spectral Beam Combining (SBC) modules for high‑power laser architectures. We are looking for creative, hands‑on Optical Design Engineers to take full ownership of designing, building, and optimising our SBC platform.

This role bridges the gap between theoretical physics and industrial reality. You won’t just design on a screen; you will spend significant time in the lab, iterating rapidly from proof‑of‑concept to robust, production‑ready, scalable systems.

Key responsibilities:

• Design & Assemble: Develop compact, efficient SBC modules using Ibsen’s world‑class transmission gratings, while considering optical beam paths, thermal effects and mechanical constraints.
• System Optimisation: Drive performance by refining optical alignment, mechanical stability, and complex thermal management for high‑power loads in a reiterative process: design – experiment – optimise.
• Characterisation: Use advanced diagnostics to maintain beam quality (low M²) during power scaling, including wavefront sensing and spectral analysis.
• Full Lifecycle Ownership: Source optical/mechanical components and manage the transition from experimental prototypes to scalable, volume‑ready designs.
• Global Collaboration: Work closely with an internal team and international partners, including potential overseas visits for joint prototyping and testing.

What you bring

You are a proactive problem‑solver who thrives in a “build‑test‑learn” environment. Ideally, you possess:

• Education: A PhD or Postdoc in Optics, Photonics, Laser Physics, or a related field.
• Expertise:
  • Hands on experience with (high‑power) fibre and free‑space optical systems, precise alignment, and experimental troubleshooting.
  • Understanding of (and ideally experience with) SBC and CBC beam combining techniques.
  • Beam quality measurement and analysis.
  • Mechanical design of low‑tolerance devices
• Technical Knowledge: Deep understanding of Gaussian optics, beam propagation, and high‑power laser effects (thermal lensing, runaway‑effects, mitigation strategies).
• Software Skills: Proficiency in optical simulation tools (e.g., Zemax) and familiarity with mechanical CAD.
• Mindset: Independent enough to drive a project and work on your own, but collaborative enough to thrive in a flat‑hierarchy, cross‑functional team, sharing insights and discussing projects/next steps. The role is highly experimental and hands‑on, requiring independence and a strong drive to make systems work in practice, not just on paper.

Why join Ibsen Photonics?

• High Impact: Your designs will directly shape the future of high‑brightness laser systems for manufacturing, defence, telecommunications, and science.
• Freedom to Innovate: We value experimental drive—if you have a better way to align or stabilise a system, we want to see it.
• Danish Engineering Culture: Enjoy a supportive environment with fast decision‑making, real ownership, and a healthy work‑life balance.

Application

If you believe you are the right candidate for the position, please submit your CV and cover letter by clicking the button below. We are looking to recruit as soon as possible but will keep the positions open until we have found the right candidates. If you want more information about the positions, please call Henrik Skov Andersen on [phone] or email henrik.s.andersen @ibsen.com.

Apply for this position

About Ibsen Photonics

Ibsen’s core technology is optical transmission gratings and grating based spectrometers, which we design, manufacture and supply to customers worldwide. Our spectrometers find their way into medical devices and scientific instruments used in sustainable energy, industrial, pharmaceutical, life sciences, security, and many other applications.

We work closely with our customers to create value adding solutions, sharing our extensive technical knowledge in an open and honest work environment with a flat “Scandinavian” hierarchical structure.

You will join a rapidly growing company employing 85 people at our facility just north of Copenhagen, and realising a turnover of more than 150 MDKK in 2023. We work actively with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and strive to make our business fully sustainable.

Ibsen Photonics is majority owned N. Foss & Co. A/S, a world leader in analytical solutions for the agricultural industry, with an annual turnover of 2.5 Billion DKK and more than 1.800 employees.