Photonic Engineer

Bioherent’s mission is to create above state-of-the-art photonic biosensors for a variety of clinical applications, with the goal of simplifying and accelerating the diagnostics pathway at hospitals and other healthcare institutions. Created in 2021 as a deep tech spin-off of the University of Malaga, our technology is the result of decades of research and development in photonics, chemical and clinical sciences.

The company is moving fast to solve unmet clinical diagnostics challenges. Joining us now will provide you with the unmatched opportunity of applying advanced technical skills to improve people’s health, and professionally evolving quickly in a young and dynamic highly qualified environment. All of it while working in one of the most sough-after cities in Europe: Málaga!

• Full-time position in a company with top-tier talent retention policies.
• Responsibility-based working culture oriented toward better diversity, equity and inclusion.
• Fast-pace professional development in a multidisciplinary team of engineers and scientists.
• Build a project from the ground up with a truly relevant social impact.
• Collaboration with people-focused leaders in fields of photonics, chemistry and medicine.

At Bioherent, the Photonics Engineer will be responsible for the design and development of photonic integrated chips and their associated instrumentation, forming the optical core of our in-vitro diagnostic solution. In this role, you will translate cutting-edge photonic concepts into a robust, commercial-grade diagnostic instrument, working across the full development cycle from investigation and R&D to design and validation.

• Design and develop robust optical systems for our diagnostic instruments, from concept through to commercial-grade implementation.
• Design and integrate photonic integrated circuits (PICs) for sensing applications.
• Develop and optimize photodetection systems, including signal acquisition, conditioning, and noise reduction.
• Collaborate closely with the immunochemistry, software, mechanics, fluidics, and electronics teams to gather and refine system requirements, ensuring the photonic platform is fully adapted to the biological and biochemical needs of the assay.
• Define and implement optical alignment, calibration, and characterization protocols.
• Select and qualify optical components (light sources, detectors, filters, lenses, fibers etc) for integration into the instrumentation.
• Conduct thorough validation and testing to ensure all photonic subsystems meet specified performance, reliability, and regulatory requirements (including IVD/medical device standards).
• Contribute to technical documentation, including design specifications, test reports, and regulatory submissions.

• Master's in Physics, Photonics Engineering, Telecommunications, or Electrical Engineering.
• A minimum of 4 years' experience in optical and photonic system design and development.
• Hands-on experience with optical system integration and alignment.
• Experience in PIC design, including familiarity with photonic design tools (e.g. Lumerical, KLayout, or equivalent).
• Experience with optical characterization and manipulation tools (e.g. optical spectrum analyzers, power meters, lock-in amplifiers).
• Solid understanding of photodetection principles and signal acquisition techniques.
• Familiarity with clean room or laboratory prototyping environments.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.
• Excellent communication and teamwork skills, with the ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment.
• Fluency in English, both written and spoken.

• PhD in Physics, Photonics Engineering, Telecommunications, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Familiarity with biosensing platforms or photonic/optical systems for medical or IVD diagnostic devices.
• Experience with cleanroom micro/nanofabrication processes relevant to PIC manufacturing.