Senior High-Power Laser Test & Applications Engineer

Senior High-Power Laser Test & Applications Engineer

Location: Berlin (Onsite)

About Us

We are a defense technology startup based in Berlin, building the next generation defense layer against aerial threats. Our systems combine high-power laser technology, precision tracking, embedded control, and real-time software to operate reliably in complex operational environments.

Operating in stealth mode, we place strong emphasis on engineering rigor, first-principles physics, and uncompromising performance validation.

Role Overview

We are seeking a Senior High-Power Laser Test & Applications Engineer to own application-driven performance testing and empirical optimization of our laser systems.

This role focuses on pushing our high-power laser platform to its operational limits in realistic engagement scenarios and translating measured performance into concrete engineering improvements. You will design and execute advanced test campaigns, analyze beam-target interactions, and close the loop between theoretical laser physics and real-world hardware behavior.

This is not a routine test execution role - it requires deep hands-on laser experience, strong analytical capability, and the ability to transform complex measurement data into system-level performance gains.

This position requires onsite work and eligibility for German security clearance.

Key Responsibilities

Application-Specific Performance Testing

• Design and execute structured test campaigns for high-power laser systems under: Dynamic tracking scenarios, Varying environmental conditions, Different target materials and geometries
• Characterize beam-target interaction and energy delivery efficiency
• Quantify system behavior under sustained and peak-power operation

System Optimization & Beam Performance

• Analyze beam quality, power delivery efficiency, and pointing stability
• Investigate and mitigate: Thermal blooming, Wavefront distortion, Optical degradation
• Improve energy density at target through empirical validation and optimization
• Apply rigorous statistical methods and signal processing techniques
• Build and maintain custom analysis tools using Python, MATLAB, or equivalent
• Process and interpret large datasets generated during high-power test events
• Correlate measurement results with performance metrics and system models

Failure Analysis & Root Cause Investigation

• Lead root-cause analysis for: Optical degradation, Beam misalignment, Efficiency losses, Stability drift
• Translate empirical findings into actionable engineering directives
• Provide structured feedback to optics, controls, and mechanical teams
• Compare real-world test data against predictive physical models
• Close the gap between theoretical laser physics and operational hardware behavior
• Support refinement of performance models through experimental evidence

Laser Safety & Field Operations

• Own and enforce Class 4 laser safety protocols
• Validate interlock systems and protective boundaries
• Conduct high-power laboratory and controlled outdoor testing
• Support transition from lab-based testing to real-world field trials

Documentation & Qualification

• Author structured test plans and performance qualification documents
• Establish baseline performance criteria and validation standards
• Produce clear, technically rigorous reports suitable for defense stakeholders

Required Qualifications

• 3+ years of direct, hands-on experience working with high-power laser systems
• (fiber lasers, diode arrays, or solid-state systems)
• Proven experience testing, optimizing, or deploying high-power laser platforms
• Strong analytical capability rooted in physics and first principles
• Advanced proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or equivalent data analysis tools
• Experience with laser diagnostic instrumentation, including: High-capacity calorimeters, Beam profilers, Wavefront sensors, Fast photodiodes, Spectrometers
• Experience operating and testing Class 4 laser systems safely
• EU citizenship and eligibility for German security clearance
• Willingness to work fully onsite in Berlin

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with optomechanics, galvo systems, or fast-steering mirrors (FSMs)
• Background in beam stabilization or electro-optical tracking systems
• Experience in defense technology, aerospace, directed energy systems, or high-power industrial laser applications
• Familiarity with thermal modeling and propagation effects in high-energy systems

What We Offer

• VSOP / equity participation
• Central Berlin office
• Extreme growth opportunity in a fast-scaling defense startup
• Monthly voucher
• Public transportation subsidies

Who You Are

• Physics-driven: You approach problems from first principles
• Empirically rigorous: You rely on measured data, not assumptions
• Performance-focused: You push systems to their limits to uncover improvement potential
• Structured and analytical: You turn complex test results into clear engineering insights
• Hands-on and safety-conscious: You are comfortable operating high-power systems with discipline
• Mission-aligned: You understand the responsibility of validating and optimizing defense-grade laser systems