Postdoc in Integrated Lithium Niobate Photonics, EPFL Hybrid Photonics Laboratory, Lausanne
Job Description
This postdoc in integrated photonics is in the Hybrid Photonics Laboratory at EPFL, Lausanne. You will make thin-film lithium niobate chips in the cleanroom. They serve frequency conversion, metrology, millimetre-wave photonics, quantum spectroscopy and sensing.
At a glance
- Position: Postdoc, fixed-term (CDD), 100%, 1 year renewable (reference 2509)
- Where: Hybrid Photonics Laboratory, EPFL, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Start: 1 January 2027
- Pay: “Competitive salary”; no figure given
- Apply: open until filled (re-checked 6 November 2026)
About the lithium niobate photonics role
- Push the lab’s low-loss nanofabrication of electro-optic platforms, with or without superconductors
- Build new optical set-ups with their software and hardware, and automate measurements
- Design hybrid optical-terahertz nanostructures and integrated photonic circuits with simulation tools
- Help write grant applications, for example Marie Curie fellowships
- Supervise students from bachelor level up, and lead international collaborations
- Write papers, file patents and present at conferences
In the lab you will also work with ultrafast fibre lasers and electro-optic transducers. You can bring your own research ideas.
Why this role matters
Thin-film lithium niobate gives fast, low-loss modulators on a chip. It links optics with microwave and terahertz signals. This makes it a key platform for compact clocks, sensors and quantum links. The post also trains you to win your own grants.
What EPFL is looking for
- A strong interest in integrated photonics, high-frequency electronics, quantum metrology and/or electro-optic transduction (mandatory)
- Strong nanofabrication skills
- Strong simulation skills; the ad lists Python, Matlab, Labview, Inventor, Illustrator, Tidy3D, CST Microwave Studio and Comsol
- Analytical skills for modelling photonic systems
Nice to have
- Prior experience in the fields above
- Experience with thin-film lithium niobate (TFLN)
Pay and location
The ad offers a competitive salary and covers conference costs, without a figure. You get access to the EPFL cleanroom, the Lausanne Centre for Ultrafast Science and the Quantum Science Center at EPFL.
How to apply
Apply through the official EPFL job posting. EPFL’s posting does not give a closing date, so the role is open until filled; ResearchJobs.in will re-check this listing on 6 November 2026. Apply only through the online platform. Upload a cover letter of up to 2 pages, and one PDF with your CV and publications, a research statement of up to 3 pages and contact details for 3 referees. Check the posting for location and work-authorisation details before you apply.
See all our postdoc jobs, or browse more research jobs on ResearchJobs.in.
Hiring institution: EPFL (École polytechnique fédérale de Lausanne)
Official advertisement: careers.epfl.ch
How to prepare for this application
- Write the half-page "why this group" statement the ad recommends; link it to your career goal
- Describe your cleanroom steps clearly: lithography, etching recipe, measured propagation loss
- Revise the Pockels effect, electro-optic modulators and phase matching for frequency conversion
- Show one simulation you set up yourself in Tidy3D, Comsol or CST
- Keep the research statement within three pages and include three referees
About EPFL
EPFL is the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne. It is one of Switzerland's two federal institutes of technology. Its Center of MicroNanoTechnology runs a large shared cleanroom.
