Operations Associate in Photonics Startup

This position is open only to Swiss or EU citizens, or holders of a valid Swiss work permit, with fluent French. Please do not apply if you do not meet these requirements.

EDWATEC SA is a high‑tech startup founded in 2023 and a spin‑off from EPFL. Our proprietary erbium‑doped photonic integrated circuit technology enables on‑chip optical amplification and lasing. By replacing legacy optical amplifiers with highly compact, high‑performance, and scalable photonic integrated amplifiers, we create new opportunities in AI datacenter interconnects, optical communications, space applications, quantum technologies, optical metrology, fiber sensing, LiDAR, and long‑haul networks.

We are looking for a highly motivated Operations Associate to join our team and support the company's operations, supply chain, customer engagement, and strategic growth. This is a multidisciplinary role at the interface of operations, engineering, procurement, logistics, and customer collaboration. The ideal candidate combines strong technical understanding with excellent organizational skills, a proactive mindset, and the ability to rapidly learn and manage a broad range of responsibilities in a fast‑paced deep‑tech environment.

• Support day‑to‑day company operations, internal processes, and operational compliance.
• Coordinate budgeting, resource planning, laboratory operations, and equipment management.
• Support HR activities, including the onboarding of engineers and interns.
• Manage project documentation and operational reporting.
• Coordinate domestic and international logistics, including shipments, imports, and exports.
• Lead purchasing, procurement, supplier management, and supply chain activities.
• Develop and maintain strategic partnerships with suppliers and service providers.
• Coordinate customer communication, technical exchanges, demonstrations, and visits.
• Support business development through customer engagement and cross‑functional collaboration.

• Master's degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, Microengineering, or a related field.
• Strong understanding of optics, photonics, and the fundamentals of integrated photonics.
• Familiarity with optical measurements, laboratory instrumentation, and experimental setups.
• Excellent analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to quickly learn new technical concepts and manage multiple priorities.
• Proactive, adaptable, and able to work independently in a fast‑paced environment.
• Strong communication skills with a customer‑oriented mindset.
• Fluent in both French and English.
• MUST HAVE: Swiss or EU citizenship, or holder of a valid Swiss work permit.

• A key role in a fast‑growing deep‑tech startup.
• Direct impact on next‑generation integrated photonic products.
• Work with leading industrial customers and research institutions.
• A collaborative, international, and highly innovative environment.
• Access to state‑of‑the‑art photonics laboratories and the EPFL ecosystem.
• An inspiring workplace in Lausanne.

Activity rate: 100%.

Start date:

As soon as possible.