Embedded Systems / Controls Engineer - Laser & Optical Systems

At empiriQa , we develop advanced optical systems for quantum technologies, telecommunications, and space applications. We evolved from a research laboratory at Nicolaus Copernicus University and are now building engineering-grade systems for real-world quantum and optical communication applications. We are looking for an Embedded Systems / Controls Engineer to join our team and help us turn ambitious ideas into reliable, working hardware systems. In simple terms, you will build software and embedded systems that enable optical hardware to measure, re-act, stabilise, align, communicate, and automate. The role primarily involves integrating real devices into operational systems, including sensors, actuators, microcontrollers, cameras, laboratory instruments, laser drivers, and control software. Prior experience with optics or laser systems is not required. We will teach you the optical side. What matters most is your ability to work with embedded systems, hardware interfaces, control software, measurement equip ment, and real-world device integration.

Location: The role is based in Toruń, Poland. Presence in the lab will be required for hardware integration, testing, and experiments. Work such as documentation, reporting, data analysis, and software development may be performed remotely when practical. English is required. Polish is welcome, but not required.

What you’ll do:

Embedded systems and device integration

• Develop software and firmware for control, measurement, and automation systems used in optical and laser setups.
• Integrate microcontrollers, Raspberry Pi, Linux-based systems, cameras, sensors, actuators, laser diode drivers, motor controllers, and laboratory instruments into complete working systems.
• Develop software interfaces for commercial and custom hardware using standard communication protocols, wireless links, or vendor APIs.
• Build tools for device control, data acquisition, diagnostics, calibration, and experiment automation.

Control systems and automation

• Design, implement, and test control systems for optical and laser hardware.
• Develop closed-loop stabilisation, tracking, alignment, and calibration systems using photodiodes, QPDs, cameras, and other sensors.
• Implement practical control algorithms for real-time and near-real-time operation.
• Support automated procedures for optical alignment, beam tracking, measurement sequences, and system calibration.

Measurement, testing, and debugging

• Use oscilloscopes, arbitrary waveform generators, power supplies, and other laboratory instruments for testing and debugging.
• Measure and analyse system response, bandwidth, latency, noise, stability, and time-domain behaviour.
• Analyse measurement data and use it to improve system performance, reliability, and robustness.
• Debug systems involving software, electronics, sensors, actuators, mechanics, and optical hardware.

Engineering support and documentation

• Support the design of optomechanical setups, including simple CAD work for mounts, adapters, enclosu res, and laboratory fixtures.
• Prepare technical documentation, test procedures, calibration notes, reports, and engineering records.
• Work closely with optical, electronics, software, and quantum technology specialists to turn laboratory prototypes into robust engineering solutions.

What we’re looking for:

• A practical engineer who enjoys making real hardware work, not only writing isolated software.
• Strong foundations in embedded systems, hardware-oriented software, automation, robotics, mechatronics, scientific instrumentation, or a related area.
• Good programming skills in C and/or C++.
• Good Python skills for automation, testing, data acquisition, data analysis, and rapid prototyping.
• Ability to understand and debug systems that combine software, electronics, measurement equipment, and physical hardware.
• Basic understanding of electronics, signals, noise, grounding, shielding, and practical measurement issues.
• Basic understanding of feedback control concepts such as stability, latency, bandwidth, filtering, and con troller tuning.
• Familiarity with Linux-based systems or willingness to work with Linux-based embedded platforms.
• Readiness to work hands-on in a laboratory environment.
• Ability to learn new hardware, tools, protocols, and technical domains quickly.
• Ability to document designs, measurements, test procedures, and engineering decisions clearly.
• Good command of English for technical communication, documentation, and teamwork. Interest in working at the interface of embedded systems, electronics, automation, and advanced optical hardware.
• Interest in working at the interface of embedded systems, electronics, automation, and advanced optical hardware.

Nice to have:

• Experience with STM32, Nucleo, ARM Cortex-M, bare-metal firmware, RTOS, DMA, timers, interrupts, ADCs, or DACs.
• Experience with communication interfaces and protocols such as USB, RS-232, Ethernet, UART, SPI, I2C, MODBUS, SCPI, LoRa, VISA/PyVISA, or vendor SDKs.
• Experience with image processing, OpenCV, camera-based diagnostics, or object/spot tracking.
• Experience with control algorithms, PID controllers, frequency-response measurements, Bode plots, noise spectra, or transient-response analysis.
• Experience with C#, GUI development, backend software, or laboratory-control applications.
• Experience with MATLAB, Simulink, LabVIEW, NumPy, SciPy, pandas, or matplotlib.
• Familiarity with CAD tools such as SolidWorks, Inventor, Fusion 360, or similar.
• Experience with laser systems, optical setups, optoelectronics, photonics, beam stabilisation, telescope pointing, optical alignment, or free-space optical communication.
• Experience in R&D, scientific instrumentation, robotics, automation, mechatronics, or quantum technology.

What we offer:

• Building from the Ground Up: Participate in the creation of a pioneering company in one of the most promising fields of the century - quantum cryptography.
• From Lab to Industry: Join a company that evolved from a research laboratory at Nicolaus Copernicus University and is now developing practical systems for quantum and optical communication.
• Startup with Experience: Work in a startup environment, but with a team that has deep scientific, engineering, and project experience.
• High-Stakes Projects: Real impact on international ventures, including European Space Agency projects.
• Advanced Hardware Development: Work on real optical, electronic, and embedded systems, not just isolated software components.
• Expert Team: Work with experts in quantum cryptography, optical engineering, embedded systems, and photonics, including more than 10 PhD-level specialists.
• No Rigid Hierarchy: We do not force people into a strict junior/mid/senior structure. Your role and responsibilities will depend on your skills, independence, and growth.
• Learning Optical Systems: Prior optics experience is not required. You will learn from people who design, build, and operate advanced optical and quantum systems.
• R&D Culture: A supportive, engineer-focused environment where your technical input directly shapes the product.
• Flexible Cooperation: Flexibility in the form of employment or cooperation.
• Flexible Work Model: The role is based around our laboratory in Toruń, but tasks that do not require physical access to the equipment may be done remotely when practical.
• Fuel for Thought: A well-stocked snack bar in our Toruń office.

If you enjoy building systems where software, electronics, control theory, and real hardware meet, we would be happy to hear from you.