Light Amplification Lead (f/m/d)

Who You Are

• You have some laser exposure and a general understanding of amplification. You have enough relevant background to understand the function, engage with specialists and assess how its decisions affect the wider system. Direct hands-on amplifier development is an advantage, not a prerequisite.

• Extensive technical leadership experience. You have led technical teams and larger, complex engineering projects, with responsibility for people, priorities and delivery. You can develop specialists and provide direction across disciplines.

• Strong engineering judgement. You can evaluate technical arguments, distinguish assumptions from evidence, identify risks and challenge recommendations constructively. You do not need to know every answer yourself, but you know how to reach a sound decision with the right experts.

• Experience leading through uncertainty. You have worked on development programmes with incomplete information, evolving requirements or changing technical priorities. You can maintain direction while adapting plans as new evidence emerges.

• People and stakeholder leadership. You listen carefully, reconcile different perspectives, communicate decisions clearly and remain close to the team. Your leadership experience includes line management and developing technical colleagues, not only coordinating schedules.

• Your background may be in laser systems, photonics, optical systems or a broader complex-engineering programme that includes relevant laser work. Your current title is less important than the scope of technical and people leadership you have exercised.

Nice to have

• Direct experience developing laser amplifiers or high-energy/high-power laser systems.

• Familiarity with solid-state, fibre or diode-pumped amplification, CPA/OPCPA, or relevant pulsed and ultrafast systems.

• Systems engineering, requirements traceability, technology-maturity planning and subsystem integration.

• Industrialisation, supplier coordination, budget and resource planning, or design for cost and manufacture.

• Experience in fusion, a high-power laser facility or a defence laser programme.

• A PhD or equivalent depth of experience in physics, photonics or a related engineering discipline.

Why work with Us?

• Innovative Technology & Mission: Be part of a cutting-edge company working on groundbreaking research in clean energy and scientific discovery.

• Career Development: We invest in our people. This is an opportunity to join an early, growing company at the forefront of new technology, where you’ll have the opportunity to develop and grow your career.

• Collaborative Culture: Work with great people in a dynamic, international environment with top-tier scientists, engineers, and professionals passionate about solving global challenges.

• Ownership: Take ownership from day 1 and drive impact by making decisions, solving challenges, and shaping the future of our company.

• Your Success is our Success: We offer a competitive salary and company ownership in the form of stock options, giving you a direct stake in our success and ownership in what we build together.

• Vacation Days: We support your work-life balance by granting you 30 days of vacation per year.

• Flexibility: Work should fit around your life, not the other way around. We offer the ability to work from our office, but some flexibility to work from home as well.

• Snacks and Drinks: Our office fridges are never empty. Enjoy our healthy snacks and drinks. Our Darmstadt office even offers a canteen with delicious lunch options daily.

• Retirement Plan: If you decide on a private pension plan, we will finance 20% on top of your monthly contributions, plus loyalty incentives.

• Events: We organize regular events to foster team bonding, encourage collaboration, and build a strong, supportive company culture. Connect with colleagues across departments, share ideas, and have fun together, both in and outside of the workplace.

Compensation offered will be determined by factors such as location, level, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Certain roles may be eligible for incentive compensation, equity, benefits.