Photonics Engineer

Ephos; Lombardia; On-site; EUR 85,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Top of the market salary

Stock options

Growth opportunities

Job summary

Ephos is seeking a Photonics Engineer in Lombardy to own the femtosecond laser writing process and advance PIC capabilities. You will design, prototype, and iterate architectures, bridging R&D and manufacturing while scaling technology toward full-scale chip production.

You will collaborate with manufacturing and product teams, develop Python libraries for instrumentation, and work onsite in a fast, ambitious environment that rewards excellence and growth.

Qualifications

• PhD in Experimental Photonics or Integrated Optics, or 3+ years hands-on photonics in industry.
• Experience in PIC characterization: insertion loss, polarization, mode analysis, active alignment.
• Practical experience assembling, aligning, and troubleshooting optical setups, laser systems, and free-space optics.
• Python for lab automation and instrument control.
• Knowledge of core lab equipment: autocorrelators, spectrometers, photodiodes, laser diodes, polarization optics, beam diagnostics.
• Femtosecond laser writing or glass-integrated photonics is a plus.
• Willing to work full-time onsite; remote not considered.

Responsibilities

• Design photonic integrated circuits using proprietary software.
• Fabricate and characterize integrated photonic devices and circuits using in-house femtosecond laser writing.
• Translate R&D breakthroughs into robust chip designs for commercial deployment.
• Design, optimize, and automate custom optical characterization setups and testing protocols.
• Develop Python libraries to interface with photonic and electronic instrumentation.

Skills

Experimental photonics

PIC characterization

Optical alignment

Python scripting

Lab automation

Education

PhD in Experimental Photonics or Integrated Optics

3+ years industrial photonics experience

Tools

Femtosecond laser writing system

In-house photonic design software

Job description

Ephos is building vertically integrated, advanced packaging solutions on glass panels. We transform raw glass into electronic and optically active substrates for die-to-die connectivity, manufactured entirely within our own facilities. Our systems are built for companies developing AI accelerators, including hyperscalers and top-tier chip designers.

We have already delivered products to leading global firms, and we are currently building a new fabrication facility to scale production by 100x. This expansion is backed by a $50M EU CHIPS Act grant—the first ever awarded to a startup.

The role

As a Photonics Engineer at Ephos, you will drive the continuous advancement of our Photonic Integrated Circuit (PIC) capabilities. Taking complete ownership of our femtosecond laser writing process, you will design, prototype, and iterate next-generation architectures. This role sits at the critical juncture between research and manufacturing and you will play a hands-on role in scaling our technology from R&D to full-scale chip production while collaborating closely with our manufacturing and product teams.

Your responsibilities

• Design photonic integrated circuits using our proprietary software.
• Fabricate and characterize integrated photonic devices and circuits using in house femtosecond laser writing processes.
• Translate R&D breakthroughs into robust, high-yield chip designs engineered for commercial deployment.
• Design, optimize, and automate custom optical characterization setups and testing protocols.
• Develop Python libraries to interface and integrate with photonic and electronic instrumentation.

The candidate we are looking for

• PhD in Experimental Photonics or Integrated Optics, OR 3+ years of hands-on experimental photonics experience in an industrial setting.
• Practical experience in PIC characterization: insertion/coupling loss, polarization dependence, mode analysis, active alignment algorithms
• Deep practical experience assembling, aligning, and troubleshooting complex optical setups, laser systems, and free-space optics.
• Python for lab automation and instrument control.
• Good knowledge of core lab equipment (e.g., autocorrelators, spectrometers, photodiodes, laser diodes, polarization optics, and beam diagnostics).
• Experience with femtosecond laser writing or glass-integrated photonics is a plus.
• Can commit to full-time lab presence; due to the nature of the role we will not consider remote applicants.
• Ephos is a demanding environment. We operate with exceptional ambition and move fast, because the market gives us no other option. We expect excellence from you, as we do from one another. This environment offers unmatched opportunities to learn, build, and grow, but it also requires significant commitment.

What we offer

• Top of the market salary.
• Stock options; granted at this stage, they can become extremely valuable.
• An exceptional opportunity for growth.

The hiring process

• Interview with our Photonics Team Lead.
• Interview with our CTO.
• Interview with our CEO.