Doctoral candidate for Broadband Packaging of SiC optical frequency combs

Swiss PIC offers an exciting opportunity for a motivated student to join our team as a doctoral candidate. This position is part of "Silicon carbide photonic integrated circuit (SiCPIC)," a prestigious European Doctoral Network project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme under the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Action (MSCA), Grant Agreement No. 101227010.

Project Context

The SiCPIC project aims at developing next-generation PIC technologies by unlocking the unique optical properties of Silicon carbide (SiC). One example is the SiC based optical frequency comb (OFC) with low pumping threshold power, high energy efficiency and broad wavelength coverage range. The PhD candidate will join an international team of 15 doctoral students in a consortium which brings together 13 leading academic and industrial players in Switzerland, Germany, France, Italy and Denmark to overcome the current technological challenges preventing chip-scale OFC.

Tasks

Project Description and Objectives

This PhD project is positioned at the convergence point of the individual OFC components and their assembly into a functional module. Mid-infrared OFC light source packaging and application is not demonstrated yet. The goal is the realization of a compact mid-infrared source with wide wavelength coverage that has the potential to revolutionize spectroscopy.

Key responsibilities are:

• Design and Simulation: Develop and optimize low-loss coupling supporting broadband mid-IR light.
• Characterization: Perform optical and electrical characterization of both OFC chip and pump laser. Some processing of photonic devices in the cleanroom can also be part of the project.
• Technology evaluation: Analyze alternative integration strategies and identify areas for improvement. Implement iterative design and process refinements to enhance efficiency and reliability.
• System-level performance analysis on the impact of the photonic package.

Requirements

Desired Qualifications

We are looking for candidates who are passionate about photonics and emerging technologies, with a strong interest in integrated photonics. Applicants should have good communication skills in English and be motivated to learn, with the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Candidates must have a two-year master's degree or a similar degree with an academic level equivalent to a two-year master's degree in photonics, electronics, applied physics or similar.

Benefits

You will join a dynamic, international team at Swiss PIC, located on campus of the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI) in Villigen, Switzerland – the largest research institute for natural and engineering sciences in Switzerland. The environment offers state-of-the-art facilities, advanced optical labs, and a collaborative atmosphere with leading experts in photonics, computing, materials science and quantum technologies. You will also be part of the large and active community of PhD students at PSI that organize many social events.

The position will include two secondments of 3 months foreseen at DTU (DK) and Neoplas (DE). The candidate will also participate in common meetings with the other 14 PhD students in the network, including three dedicated training schools. The academic enrollment will be at the Politecnico of Torino, therefore it is expected that the candidate will be visiting Torino for courses and supervisor meetings sometimes during the employment.

Eligibility

As part of the criteria for this MSCA programme, the candidate must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of the host organization (Switzerland) for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the start date of the recruitment.

The scholarship for the PhD degree is subject to academic approval, and the candidate will be enrolled in one of the general degree programs at Polytechnic University of Turin. For information about enrolment requirements and the general planning of the PhD study program, please see the Politecnico di Torino Doctoral School website.

Diversity

Swiss PIC is committed to diversity at the workplace. With us you will find an open, multicultural environment. Excellent flexible working arrangements enable all genders to strike the desired balance between their professional development and their personal lives. All interested candidates irrespective of age, gender, race, disability, religion or ethnic background are encouraged to apply. The recruitment is taking place following the European Code of Conduct for Recruitment of Researchers, which all candidates are encouraged to study.

How to apply

Please submit a cover letter, curriculum vitae, transcripts, and a reference contact by February 27, 2026. You may apply prior to ob­tai­ning your master's degree but cannot begin before having received it.

If you have any question related to this position, please contact Dr. Peter Moselund, CTO of Swiss PIC, through the JOIN portal.

If you are chosen for interviews please be ready to supply the following:

• Bachelor's degree
• Official Transcript of Records
• Syllabus/Course description
• Master's degree OR official university document stating provisional date of graduation (if not graduated yet)
• Official Transcript of Records
• Syllabus/Course description
• Language Certificate: English, minimum B2

The relevant university shall issue the documents. Documents issued in Italian, English, French, or Spanish are accepted. If the documents are written in other languages, please upload both the original version AND the official translation in Italian or English and attach the merged document. Academic qualifications are accepted to take part in the selection process with the minimum average grade illustrated in Annex 2 of the Call for admission. The original diplomas and transcripts should be available before enrollment to PoliTO.

Where applicable, one of the following certificates of English language knowledge, regardless of the date of obtainment:

• IELTS: minimum score 5.5

Selection process

Deadline of applications is end of February 2026 and we expect to have chosen our preferred applicant by end of March 2026. Formal starting day of the 3 year PhD enrollment will be 1/11/2026 as given by the rules of Politecnico di Torino, but an internship at Swiss PIC in the preceding months is encouraged.

SiCPIC is open to researchers regardless of gender, religion, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, political views, language, age and nationality. Applications from highly qualified applicants from outside the EU will thus be equally considered to other applicants. The integration of refugees is an EU priority and we will ensure equal opportunities to the researchers whose scientific careers have been interrupted. To ensure a gender balance in the project and work towards the Commission’s own policies on narrowing the gap between the genders in research, should two applicants be found to be equally qualified the preference will be given to the one that will balance the gender distribution in the entire Network. After the deadline, all submitted applications will be checked against the defined admissibility and eligibility criteria (e.g. submitted electronically, readable, complete, in English, including grades and references), and applicants will be informed by email within two work weeks on the outcome. The following interviews and selection process will be carried out by a temporary Selection Committee constituted by the Coordinator (when possible) and the supervisors. Evaluation criteria include: Scientific background, capacity for creativity and independent thinking and leadership, mentoring and presentation abilities.

With the ever-increasing demand of photonic systems in existing and future markets including optical communications, sensing, quantum computing, autonomous driving, AI, AR/VR, medical, and many others, the complexity of photonic packaging is also increasing. Common challenges for Swiss industry, especially start-ups and SMEs include assembly & packaging, testing and qualification and therefore support in these areas is crucial. The newly established Swiss Photonics Integration Center (Swiss PIC) addresses these needs.