About The Position
TandemLaunch is a Canadian deep-tech venture builder that transforms breakthrough university research into scalable startups. We provide founders with pre-seed capital, access to cutting-edge facilities, and a network of mentors, industry partners, and investors. Our mission is to create companies that redefine industries by leveraging disruptive materials, hardware, and AI innovations. Our next venture will commercialize breakthrough platforms in advanced optics and imaging: engineered optical systems capable of delivering superior performance in drastically reduced form factors across a wide range of applications. We are seeking a Founding Technical Entrepreneur to lead a startup in the space of compact, high-performance optical systems and sensing. By rethinking the fundamental architecture of lenses, illumination, and color detection, these technologies unlock performance levels and form factors that conventional optics cannot achieve. Potential applications span consumer electronics, automotive lighting, medical imaging, environmental monitoring, wearables, and industrial automation. As the founding leader, you will identify the highest-value commercial entry points, develop prototype systems, and guide the technical roadmap from proof-of-concept to manufacturable, market-ready products.
Requirements
- Deep technical expertise in optics, photonics, or imaging systems, with hands-on experience in optical design and system integration.
- PhD or master’s in Optical Engineering, Optical Science, Applied Physics, Electrical Engineering, Materials Science & Engineering or similar fields.
- Familiarity with advanced optical technologies such as gradient-index optics, computational imaging, novel sensing architectures, or nanophotonic and their practical trade-offs versus conventional approaches.
- Experience with optical design tools, fabrication methods, or characterization techniques relevant to lenses, illumination systems, or imaging sensors.
- A track record of applied research or product development in optical systems, photonics, consumer electronics, or medical devices.
- Entrepreneurial mindset: excited by uncertainty, motivated to move fast, and eager to build a company from scratch.
- Strong communication skills, capable of engaging with technical experts, customers, and investors.
Nice To Haves
- Prior startup, translational research, or industry experience in optics or imaging.
Responsibilities
- Develop and refine prototype optical systems demonstrating performance and size advantages over conventional designs (e.g., imaging stacks, illumination optics, compact sensing modules).
- Translate lab-scale optical fabrication concepts into scalable, manufacturable processes suited to consumer, medical, or industrial-grade environments.
- Conduct early customer discovery to identify urgent pain points in target markets (smartphone OEMs, automotive suppliers, medical device manufacturers, industrial automation, etc.).
- Collaborate with TandemLaunch's venture team to shape go-to-market strategy, validate regulatory and certification pathways, and secure early adopters or pilot partners.
- Recruit and lead a founding technical team of optical engineers, materials scientists, and systems integration specialists.
Benefits
- $600k in pre-seed funding and hands-on operational support to launch your company.
- Access to state-of-the-art facilities for optical prototyping, fabrication, and system characterization.
- A curated network of industry partners in consumer electronics, automotive, and medical imaging.
- Collaboration with our venture team for customer development, fundraising, and team building.
- A competitive founder compensation package, including significant equity and stipend support.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Executive
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
Number of Employees
1-10 employees
