CTO / Chief Photonics Officer

About the role

Merantix is developing a diagnostic platform that shrinks complex, six-figure laboratory optical instruments into affordable, disposable chips. As a founding technical leader, you will oversee the transition of high-end sensing technology from the benchtop to mass-manufacturable silicon.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Architect the photonic and detection systems for both the disposable cartridges and the reader hardware.
• Manage foundry relationships, including tapeout schedules, yield optimization, and tolerance management for PIC, nano-optical, and microfluidic components.
• Validate and refine outputs from the internal multi-physics design engine to ensure physical feasibility.
• Integrate opto-mechanical, thermal, and electronic components into a cohesive reader device.
• Maintain a technical risk register and engineer solutions for large-scale manufacturing challenges.
• Recruit and build the initial technical team, focusing on microfluidics, hardware, firmware, and instrumentation.

Requirements

• PhD in silicon photonics or electrical engineering.
• Proven track record of moving multiple designs from initial layout to functional silicon at a commercial foundry.
• Deep expertise in photon-counting detection, photonic integration, and nano-optical component design.
• Ability to interpret and audit complex simulation data rather than treating design software as a black box.
• Willingness to work on-site in London for critical collaborative phases.

Nice to have

• Background in bio-photonics, scientific instrumentation, or biomedical optical engineering.

Skills & tools

• Silicon photonics
• Micro-fluidics
• Opto-mechanical integration
• Multi-physics simulation tools
• Foundry tapeout management

Practical notes

• Compensation includes founding team-level equity and a salary calibrated to the pre-seed funding round.
• The role requires a long-term commitment to building a decade-scale company.
• We prioritize direct communication, rapid prototyping, and decisive action over perfect documentation.