ICFO is offering up to two postdoctoral positions to a well-qualified, highly motivated and dynamic young scientists who wish to enhance their scientific career in a friendly and stimulating environment.
The successful candidate will join the international project “Photonics for Quantum (P4Q)”. P4Q will establish a distributed, pan-European infrastructure for manufacturing high-performance photonic integrated circuits (PICs) tailored to quantum applications. Quantum technologies, including neutral atom quantum computing and simulation, rely heavily on photonics for encoding, processing, and detecting quantum information. P4Q will address the stringent requirements of these technologies, such as low-loss, high-speed visible-wavelength operation, by stabilizing cutting-edge manufacturing processes and advancing both technology and manufacturing readiness levels. These PIC-based solutions are expected to support the transition from complex optical laboratory setups towards more scalable and deployable quantum technology architectures.
In the Optoelectronics research group at ICFO, led by Prof. Dr. Valerio Pruneri, we are seeking a highly motivated postdoctoral researchers with a broad background in physics and photonics and familiarity with integrated photonics and neutral atom experimental architectures. The selected candidate will play a central role in the conception, coordination of design, fabrication and packaging activities, as well as testing and characterization of advanced PICs within the P4Q project, contributing to both technological development and application-oriented demonstrators.
The position combines conception and design-oriented work, coordination, and experimental lab work, and is ideal for candidates with a solid technical background and strong motivation to work with integrated photonics for quantum applications in a dynamic R&D and pre-industrial environment.
Key responsibilities:
- Contribute to coordinating research activities on PICs for neutral atom experiments, including quantum computing and simulation.
- Conceptualize and contribute to coordinating the development of novel visible-wavelength PICs in close collaboration with neutral atom end users. Analyse possible use cases of PICs within a neutral atom lab, while ensuring that the user requirements are translated into PIC specifications and test metrics.
- Contribute to coordinating the design and simulation of PICs for these applications within ICFO.
- Contribute to coordinating collaboration with:
- P4Q project partners, in particular within the Quantum Computing with Atoms and Ions work package: PIC manufacturers, packagers, and end users,
- the relevant teams within ICFO, including the Optoelectronics research group, facilities and project management.
- Contribute to coordinating the Quantum Computing with Atoms and Ions work package, including preparation of project deliverable reports.
- Develop characterization testbeds as well as optical/electrical testing procedures for visible-wavelength PICs.
- Use the testbeds and testing procedures to analyse and validate PIC performance, operating test instrumentation including lasers, OSAs, VNAs, photodiodes, RF sources, power meters, and probe stations.
- Contribute to coordinating with end users to facilitate qualification in application-oriented demonstrators.
- Prepare structured testing reports, and support debugging activities across the development cycle
Actively identify concepts for future PIC iterations in collaboration with end users and project partners. Contribute to conceptualizing and preparing related follow-up projects.
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Funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe (P4Q, 101291189), Chips Joint Undertaking (Chips JU) and the Spanish Ministry for Digital Transformation and Civil Service under reference CJU-010200-2026-5, as part of the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan (PRTR). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the Chips Joint Undertaking. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.
Candidates must hold, at the time of contract initiation, an internationally-recognized Ph.D.-equivalent degree (or evidence of its completion in the nearest future) in photonics, electrical engineering, physics, or a related field.
We are looking for candidates with demonstrated experience in one or more of the following areas:
- Familiarity with photonic devices including PICs.
- Familiarity with application-driven PIC development, including the translation of end-user requirements into PIC concepts, test needs, and development workflows.
- Operation of optical and electrical test and measurement equipment.
- Data acquisition and automation using Python, MATLAB, or LabVIEW.
Knowledge of free-space optical setups and neutral atom experimental architectures
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The ideal candidate is detail-oriented, hands-on, proactive, and comfortable working in multidisciplinary teams bridging research and industrial deployment.
What We Offer
- Fixed-term contract linked to NextGeneration funds (406)
- Access to ICFO’s photonics laboratories and technical environment, with support from experienced personnel in PIC design, simulation, optical characterization, and project management.
- Opportunity to develop dedicated visible-wavelength PIC testing and characterization setups within ICFO.
- Opportunity to integrate and qualify the developed PICs in neutral atom laboratory environments.
- Opportunity to work at the interface between PIC development, manufacturing partners, advanced R&D, and quantum technology applications.
A family allowance may be granted to candidates with dependents, upon request and in accordance with ICFO’s policies.
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ICFO is an equal opportunity employer. Candidates are selected exclusively on merit and potential on the basis of submitted application material. No restrictions related to disabilities, citizenship or gender apply to ICFO positions. ICFO abides by the principles of openness, efficiency, transparency, supportiveness, and international comparability as stated in the European Charter for Researchers and the European Code of Conduct for the Recruitment of Researchers.
Salaries for ICFO Postdoctoral positions are assigned by the Selection Committee, based on experience and seniority of the applicant, as well as the assigned tasks and responsibilities within the group. Standard salaries range from a lower level aligned with national Ramon-y-Cajal fellowships to higher levels aligned with Marie Skłodowska-Curie individual fellowships.
Suitable candidates are requested to submit:
- Presentation letter with a declaration of interest,
- Curriculum Vitae, including contact details,
The contact e-mail of two potential referees.
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The selection process will follow open, transparent, and merit-based recruitment (OTM-R) principles. It will consist of:
1. Eligibility check of applications.
2. Assessment of merits (education, experience, and language)
3. Interview with shortlisted candidates, if needed
Candidates may contact [email protected] for formal enquiries regarding the application, as well as address scientific enquiries to [email protected].
For update information about the hosting group, please visit https://www.icfo.eu/research-group/15/optoelectronics/home.
For updated information about ICFO, please visit https://www.icfo.eu.
Data Protection
In accordance with Regulation (EU) 2016/679 (GDPR) and Organic Law 3/2018, ICFO informs applicants that their personal data will be processed exclusively for recruitment purposes.
- Controller: Fundació ICFO – Institut de Ciències Fotòniques, Av. Carl Friedrich Gauss 3, 08860 Castelldefels (Barcelona).
- DPO: [email protected]
- Legal basis: performance of a task in the public interest.
- Rights: access, rectification, erasure, restriction, and opposition.
- Supervisory authority: Catalan Data Protection Authority (APDCAT) https://apdcat.gencat.cat.
All recruitment files will be retained in accordance with the Catalan public-sector archival retention schedule (DOGC 2117).
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