Material Engineer (m/f/d)

Overview

The future of AI computing is light, not electrons. Q.ANT is building photonic processing systems that compute with light – delivering a scalable, energy-efficient alternative to transistor-based architectures for next-generation AI and HPC applications.

As a Material Engineer (m/f/d) , you will be the theoretical and practical expert for our core material stack. Your mission is to characterize, develop, and deeply understand our base material, lithium niobate, identifying complex issues and implementing scalable solutions. You will work at the cutting edge of thin-film and interface physics, ensuring that our material science translates directly into high-performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs).

Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of characterizing and developing the base material, lithium niobate, to ensure optimal performance of photonic systems.
• Proactively identify material defects and functionalities, learning to control them and implementing robust solutions within the manufacturing process.
• Serve as the go-to theoretical expert for the material stack, answering urgent technical questions regarding material behavior and physics.
• Manage contacts and coordinate complex measurement schedules with external facilities, including organizing and leading measurement sessions.
• Work in close contact with the manufacturing team to integrate material findings into production workflows.
• Navigate complex, interlinking problems with a high degree of creativity to find innovative solutions even with sparse measurement resources.

Qualifications

• PhD in Material Science or Material Physics, or a Master’s degree with extensive experience in material-related measurement techniques.
• Proven professional experience working with crystalline oxide materials or complex oxides, ideally lithium niobate.
• Mastery of characterization tools such as SEM, XPS, EDS, FIB, TEM, and AFM.
• Experience with deposition techniques including ALD, PECVD, and PVD.
• Technical versatility with Python for data analysis and a solid understanding of defect theory in ionic crystals.

Why us?

• We hire for attitude and train for skills.
• We encourage self-responsibility and accelerate professional development.
• We move fast and encourage experimentation.
• You have the opportunity to develop breakthrough photonic computing technology and have a lasting impact on the future of computing.
• You will be part of a passionate, international, and highly skilled cross-functional team.
• You will have direct access to the founders of the company.