Technical Project Manager

Ignite Next GmbH; Bergen; Remote; NOK 1,200,000 - 2,100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity via incentive plan

Relocation assistance

Immigration support

Gym allowance €50/month

Weekly team lunches

Monthly social events

Annual off-site

Development budget

Job summary

Lace Lithography in Bergen is seeking a Technical Project Manager to translate physics prototypes into industrial manufacturing systems. You will lead cross-functional teams across Norway, Spain and the Netherlands toward ambitious milestones.

You should have a Master’s or PhD in Physics or Engineering and 5+ years of project leadership in high-tech R&D or semiconductors. The role emphasizes lab-to-fab industrialization and collaboration with external partners.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Physics, Engineering, or closely related deep-tech discipline.
• 5+ years of project leadership experience in high-tech R&D, aerospace, or semiconductor environments.
• Proven track record of taking complex hardware or software from proof-of-concept to pilot production.
• Familiarity with product development, requirements engineering, risk management and other engineering methodologies.
• Exposure to ultra-high vacuum (UHV) systems, particle/atom optics, or advanced lithographic masking techniques.
• Experience in the semiconductor industry is highly valued.

Responsibilities

• Own the project lifecycle transforming research into robust, scalable tool modules.
• Bridge ultra-specialized disciplines, aligning physicists with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers.
• Manage software workstreams for AI-driven mask design algorithms.
• Build and maintain flexible project timelines with resources to meet milestones.
• Act as a key operational interface with external partners and early-adopter foundries.

Skills

Deep Tech Fluency

Thriving in Ambiguity

High-Impact Communication

Resourcefulness

Cross-border Collaboration

Travel Flexibility

Education

Master’s or PhD in Physics or Engineering

Job description

At Lace Lithography, we’re scaling up our team and looking for a passionate and sharp Technical Project Manager to join us in Bergen.

In our company we build chip lithography technology that will enable the next 100 years of chip manufacturing. Founded in 2023, we’re based in Bergen (Norway) and Barcelona (Spain), and backed by some of the world’s most ambitious investors.

About the Role:

As a Technical Project Manager, you will be the operational engine driving our transition from groundbreaking physics prototypes to industrial-grade manufacturing systems. You will lead elite, cross-functional teams across Norway, Spain, and the Netherlands as we sprint toward our next significant milestones.

Responsibilities

In an early-to-mid-stage deep-tech environment, your role spans both high-level roadmap execution and hands-on problem solving that may include but are not limited to the responsibilities below.

• Lab-to-Fab Industrialization: Own the project lifecycle for transforming research into robust, scalable, and highly reliable commercial tool modules.




• Cross-Disciplinary Orchestration: Bridge the gap between ultra-specialized disciplines, aligning quantum physicists (working on atom optics and vacuum systems) with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers.




• Algorithm Integration: Manage the software workstreams responsible for scaling our proprietary, AI-driven mask design algorithms—the computational core that makes atom-beam lithography mathematically viable.




• Agile Startup Execution: Build and maintain flexible project timelines. You will manage resources dynamically to meet aggressive milestones backed by top-tier venture capital.




• Partner Liaison: Act as a key operational interface with external partners and early-adopter foundries in the ecosystem and aligning timelines, milestones and dependencies.

Education and Experience

• Education: Master’s or PhD in Physics, Engineering, or a closely related deep-tech discipline. (A strong technical baseline is mandatory to understand our core technology).




• Experience:

  
  
  
  

  • 5+ years of project leadership experience within a high-tech R&D, aerospace, or semiconductor environment.

  
  

  • Proven track record of taking complex hardware or software from the \"proof-of-concept\" phase to pilot production.

  
  

  • Familiarity with (high-tech) Product development, requirements Engineering, risk management and other Engineering methodologies.

  
  

  • Preferred Knowledge:

    
    
    
    
    • Exposure to ultra-high vacuum (UHV) systems, particle/atom optics, or advanced lithographic masking techniques.
    
    
    • Experience working in the semiconductor industry is highly valued.
    
    
    
    
  
  
  
  

Core Skills and Competencies

• Deep Tech Fluency: You must be able to \"hold your own\" in a room full of PhD physicists specializing in molecular-beam lithography, quickly translating abstract physics constraints into concrete engineering tasks.




• Thriving in Ambiguity: Unlike mature corporate environments, there is no legacy playbook here. You need a high tolerance for shifting priorities and the ability to build structure out of chaos.




• High-Impact Communication: Exceptional ability to synthesize highly complex quantum mechanics and engineering bottlenecks into clear, data-driven updates for executive leadership and international investors.




• Resourcefulness: A hacker-meets-engineer mindset. You know how to unblock a team and hit deadlines using creative problem-solving rather than throwing massive corporate budgets at a problem.

Work Environment Note: This role involves collaborating with international hubs in Bergen (Norway), Barcelona (Spain), and Eindhoven (Netherlands). Flexibility for travel to company hubs & partners is required (depends on base location).

Our team here at Lace:

…consists of amazing people who’ve joined us from all over the world, driven by intense curiosity, the urge for exploration, and a desire to push the limits of physics. We promise to offer you a place among highly motivated Lacers, present you with extremely difficult problems—and have a lot of fun solving them.

Workplace & culture:

Lace operates out of two beautiful, vibrant, and strong-willed cities. Although we are cities apart, we strive to make the team feel as one.

We don’t define values—but we have one universal expectation:
Be the best team player you can be.

Perks and Benefits:

Part of the team, part of the company
Competitive salary + equity through our incentive plan.

Feel-good perks
€50 monthly gym allowance, weekly team lunches, monthly social events, and annual off-site with the whole team.

Personal Development
Quarterly development goals with your manager and your own budget to learn and grow.

No journey without travelling
We support relocation and immigration to make joining Lace as smooth as possible.