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