Research Engineer - Laser and Optical Systems

the lab with lasers and optics, and comfortable working across electronics, control software, mechanics, and automation? Would you like to help build a deep-tech startup—not only by developing technology, but by turning it into products for real customers? The Institute of Physics (IoP) is looking for a hands-on Research Engineer to work with the Ultracold Strontium Gases group and its spin-off OpticsFoundry B.V. Join Us! OpticsFoundry is developing technology for the robotic manufacture of compact, stable optical circuits for quantum technology and other demanding applications. Our optical circuit boards are already used in the AQuRA optical lattice clock; the next challenge is to broaden the platform to lasers, optical cavities, frequency references, and other active systems. Working at the boundary between the University of Amsterdam and OpticsFoundry, and in collaboration with the Nonlinear Nanophotonics group at the University of Twente, you will help turn advanced laboratory optics into repeatable, manufacturable products. This is an opportunity to join at an early stage, shape both the technology and the way we build it, and—if there is a strong mutual fit—progressively move from UvA into a core engineering role at OpticsFoundry over the course of the project. This is what you will do You will take ownership of challenging engineering problems from first idea to tested hardware. In a small, fast-moving team, you will design experiments, build prototypes, measure performance, find failure modes, and iterate until a system is robust enough for production and customer use. Your work will include: designing and building compact optical circuits that incorporate gain media, piezo and motorized actuators, optical cavities, spectroscopy cells, photonic integrated circuits, and related components; developing robotic methods to place, align, bond, and integrate optical components reproducibly; building and benchmarking complete systems, such as laser sources and laser-frequency locks; designing or integrating the electronics, instrumentation, and control software needed to operate and test those systems; translating prototypes into scalable production processes, fixtures, test procedures, and clear technical documentation; and working directly with researchers and early customers to understand requirements and deliver practical, reliable hardware. The role offers substantial freedom and responsibility. You will be encouraged to propose solutions, make design decisions, and develop new technical capabilities—not simply execute a predefined research plan. What we ask of you We are looking for a curious, pragmatic engineer who enjoys difficult technical puzzles and wants to help grow a young deep-tech company. You do not need to match every item below. We would particularly like to hear from you if you bring: a Master's degree, PhD, or equivalent professional experience in applied physics, optical engineering, electrical engineering, mechatronics, or a related field; hands-on experience building and troubleshooting optical systems, ideally involving lasers, precision alignment, interferometry, spectroscopy, cavities, or photonic systems; enough experience with electronics, instrumentation, and control software to work effectively across discipline boundaries; an experimental mindset: you turn open-ended problems into testable ideas, learn quickly from data, and keep going when the first design does not work; the initiative to own projects, communicate clearly in English, and collaborate closely in a small team. Experience with automation, optomechanical design, PCB design, embedded systems, Python or LabVIEW, precision assembly, or design for manufacture is welcome, but not required. This is what we offer you You will work on advanced optical hardware with a short path from experiment to product, combining the technical environment of the University of Amsterdam with the pace, responsibility, and customer focus of an early-stage startup. You will have direct access to optical laboratories, robotic manufacturing tools, academic collaborators, and the founders of OpticsFoundry. The role is designed to offer growing responsibility and, subject to performance, mutual fit, and company development, a gradual transition toward employment at OpticsFoundry over the next two years. We offer a temporary employment contract for 38 hours per week for a period of 12 months. The preferred starting date is as soon as possible. The gross monthly salary, based on 38 hours per week and dependent on relevant experience, ranges between €3,706 and €5,760 (scale 10). This does not include 8% holiday allowance and 8.3% year-end allowance. The applicable UFO job profile Education and Research Technician-O profile 2 is applicable. For this position we can not sponsor a visa. Due to Dutch legislation, the UvA is for non-scientific positions obliged to recruit within the EU. If you are not a EU-citizen (including Norway and Switzerland) please do not apply for this vacancy. The Collective Labour Agreement of Universities of the Netherlands is applicable. You will work in this team The Faculty of Science has a student body of around 8,000, as well as 1,800 members of staff working in education, research or support services. Researchers and students at the Faculty of Science are fascinated by every aspect of how the world works, be it elementary particles, the birth of the universe or the functioning of the brain. The Institute of Physics (IoP) of the Faculty of Science combines the Van der Waals-Zeeman Institute (WZI), the Institute of Theoretical Physics (ITFA) and the Institute for High Energy Physics (IHEF) and is one of the large research institutes of the Faculty of Science at the University of Amsterdam. The Van der Waals - Zeeman Institute for Experimental Physics (IoP-WZI) is part of the IoP and home to three research clusters: Quantum Gases & Quantum Information (QG&QI), Quantum Materials (QMat), and Soft Matter (SM). You will work in the Strontium Quantum Gases Group, part of the QG&QI cluster and headed by Prof. Dr. Florian Schreck, in close collaboration with OpticsFoundry. The group develops optical systems for ultracold-strontium experiments in quantum sensing, many-body physics, and quantum computing. This gives you a demanding real-world test environment for new hardware, while OpticsFoundry provides the route to manufacturing and customers. You will work closely with physicists, engineers, external collaborators, and users, with room to influence technical priorities and product direction. Want to know more about our organisation? Read more about working at the University of Amsterdam. If this role excites you, we look forward to receiving your application. You can apply online by sending an email to Prof. Dr. Florian Schreck: f.schreck@uva.nl and also using the Apply button above. We accept applications until the position has been filled. If your experience comes from industry, a university lab, a student team, or ambitious personal projects rather than a conventional academic path, we still encourage you to apply. If you have any questions or do you require additional information? Please contact: Prof. Dr. Florian Schreck: f.schreck@uva.nl Applications should include the following information (all files besides your CV should be submitted in one single PDF file): a detailed CV, including the start and end months (not just years) for education and work experience; a short letter explaining why you are interested in this engineering and startup role, and describing one technical system or difficult hands-on problem you helped solve; links to a portfolio, project page, thesis, code repository, publications, or other examples of relevant work, if available; the names and email addresses of two professional or academic references. Due to Dutch legislation, the UvA is for non-scientific positions obliged to recruit within the EU. If you are not a EU-citizen (including Norway and Switzerland) please do not apply for this vacancy. Only complete applications received within the response period via the link below will be considered.