Optical Engineer
Publication date:
16 April 2025Workload:
100%- Place of work:Bern
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Job summary
Join the University of Bern as an Optical Engineer to advance astronomy! This role offers a collaborative environment and competitive benefits.
Tasks
- Design and optimize astronomical instrumentation for space weather.
- Collaborate with a research group on solar and stellar flare studies.
- Utilize programming skills and design software for instrument development.
Skills
- MS in optical engineering or related field, plus relevant experience.
- Proficiency in optical design, including polarization and spectrographs.
- Team player with programming skills, especially in Python.
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Optical Engineer
Published 14 April 2025 Workplace Bern, Bern region, Switzerland CategoryComputer Science
Optical Engineer
80-100 %
The Space Weather group of the Astronomical Institute, University of Bern invites applications for an Optical Engineer (80-100%) to work on astronomical instrumentation.
The University of Bern hosts many domains of astronomy, from solar physics, to exoplanets, and satellite observations. The successful candidate will work in the space weather group, which focuses on understanding solar and stellar flares. The goal for this position is to help build a unique instrument to measure the full visible spectrum of flares. The instrument will be used at the University’s own observatory in Zimmerwald (80 cm telescope) and as a guest instrument at other facilities.
We are looking for highly motivated candidates with previous experience in one or more of the following fields: optical design and development, polarimetry, spectrographs and astronomical instrumentation. Your task will be to help design, test, and optimize a new instrument. You will be part of a research group of 10 people that combines instrumentation, machine learning, observations and models to answer questions such as "When and where will a flare occur? What are the origins and mechanisms of solar flares and stellar superflares?".
- MS degree in optical engineering, a similar discipline, or equivalent experience.
- Experience with detailed optical design including polarization, dispersive techniques, transmission, tolerance and stray light analyses. Experience with spectrographs, inte-gral field spectroscopy, or astronomical instrumentation is a plus.
- Experience with design software, e.g. Code V or Zemax. Programming experience with Python, further programming languages are considered an asset.
- Knowledge of ground- or space-based solar or stellar observations is a plus.
- Fluent in English. German is an advantage.
- Teamplayer who likes to work with other group members and students.
Appointment
After August 1, 2025, open until filled. 2-year position with an option for prolongation
Application
deadline: May 15, 2025 via email to M. Galloway, containing (
as one pdf file
): - CV o list of publications or an example of own technical project documentation o motivation letter for this specific position o names of 2 references that can be contacted.
Salary
Based on the regulations of the University of Bern and the experience of the selected candidate.
For more details or to apply please contact Dr. Michelle Galloway (michelle.galloway@ unibe.ch).
An equal opportunity environment is important to us, and we welcome applicants from groups that are traditionally underrepresented in physics and astronomy. We will be particularly pleased to receive applications from women for the advertised position.
