Principal Scientist - Technical Competence Centre

SMART Photonics; Eindhoven; Hybrid; EUR 75,000 - 127,000; Full time

Job summary

SMART Photonics in Eindhoven, Netherlands, seeks a Principal Scientist for the Technical Competence Centre to steer market insights, align R&D with future technology, and translate roadmaps into concrete development plans. You will communicate across all levels and act as a technical authority guiding innovation.

This role requires a PhD in Photonics with 10+ years in technical/product leadership within photonics ecosystems, plus outstanding communication and leadership skills.

Qualifications

• The candidate holds a PhD in Photonics and extensive senior leadership exposure.
• Experience in technical or product management within photonics ecosystems such as telecom, datacom, sensing or related fields.
• Strong written and oral communication abilities with confident presentations.
• Ability to drive cross‑functional collaboration across R&D, operations and commercial teams.

Responsibilities

• Bridge research capabilities with product development needs and roadmaps.
• Align with global partners and customers across events and remote engagements.
• Coordinate with Engineering, Operations and Commerce on projects.
• Develop and update R&D competencies with the Manager R&D.
• Lead forward-looking company‑sponsored research and development projects.
• Lead technical aspects of new business proposals and represent at key industry events.

Skills

Communication skills

Leadership

Education

PhD in Photonics

Job description

At SMART Photonics, we are at the forefront of photonic innovation, developing advanced photonic integrated circuits (PICs) that shape the future of technology. As a Principal Scientist - Technical Competence Centre, you will be part of our Technical Competence Centre, directly reporting to our CTO.

• On-site, Hybrid
• Eindhoven, Noord-Brabant, Netherlands
• €75,000 - €127,000 per year
• Technical Competence Centre TCC

Job description

in this job you are like the brain of SMART Photonics, all we do, all we need to do, goes through this department. You collect market insights, understand the future of our technology and where we should focus, and you link this to R&D goals, possible new ideas as well as the capacity in our operations teams, in this role you need to communicate to all, so beside a technical authority, you can speak and listen to all levels in our company. our goals to support and guide us, so we can continue to create cutting-edge solutions that address real-world challenges.

Our ideal candidate combines a strong educational and academic foundation, with real insights of industry demands and expectations. If you offer the understating from potential customer perspective either from data/ telecom or the more sensing market this would be a very strong combination.

On our turn we offer you the full exposure towards our industry ecosystem, asked speaker on events, known face at the exhibition floor, and senior colleague that is asked internal for advise and guidance. on top of this we are active on the InP platforms that are in high in demand today, with the full manufacturing plant onsite. This is not an easy job, it will come with hurdles in it, however the taste of success will be worth it.

This job does not have a strict daily schedule, however recurring activates and expectation are:

• Connect research capabilities with product development needs.
• Alignment with our global partners and customers line, during events and remote to gain better understanding of their needs, challenges, and goals.
• Internal cooperation in several teams and projects together with Engineering, Operations, and Commerce.
• Develop, improve, and adjust the competencies of the R&D team together with our Manager R&D.
• Perform forward looking company sponsored research and development projects.
• Lead new business proposal efforts from a technical point of view.
• Closely follow the latest scientific developments at conferences and in papers and represent us at the key events such as ECOC, OFC and CIOE.
• Contribute to the Roadmap definition of SMART Photonics and translate the Roadmap in actual projects and development plans within SMART Photonics
• Train and coach our R&D engineers, be an example to them, a go to person and a trusted technical expert.

Job requirements

• A PhD degree in Photonics and on top of this, an extra 10+ years of experience in a technical, product manager position in our Photonics ecosystem such as telecom, datacom, optical communication, sensing or other applications.
• Solid industry work experience in device, application, design, and implementation of integrated photonic chips.
• Ability to effectively manage an urgent/crisis communication and drive a team to find creative and solid solutions to critical problems.
• Excellent written and oral communication abilities, along with confident presentation skills
• Seniority presence, natural authority as well as people interaction skills to face the most challenging conversation with prospects, Chief leadership and technical experts.