ABOUT LIGHTQ
The demand for AI is rapidly outgrowing the electronic hardware it runs on. At LIGHTQ, we're building next-generation computing to unlock sustainable AI: based on light, not electrons, and grounded in ultrafast laser technology, our platform is orders of magnitude faster and far more energy-efficient.
We are a team of internationally recognised scientists, proficient engineers and seasoned operators. We are based in Hamburg, one of the global epicentres of ultrafast photonics.
ABOUT THE ROLE
At LIGHTQ, cutting-edge photonics research meets the machinery of public funding. You own the non-dilutive channel end-to-end — grants, public funding programs, and non-dilutive capital across Germany and the EU. You track down the right programs, build the case, and turn ultrafast optics and photonic compute into language a funding body will act on. You work directly with a world-class founding team of physicists, engineers, and operators building the next computing paradigm.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Funding Pipeline & Strategy — Identify, evaluate, and prioritize grant and non-dilutive funding programs across Germany and the EU, matched against the company's roadmap and stage
- Application Ownership — End-to-end ownership of the application process: drafting, internal review coordination, submission, and follow-up correspondence with funding bodies
- Technical Narrative — Turn founder and engineering input into funder-ready technical and business narrative, working independently wherever possible
- Compliance & Reporting — Own milestone reporting, documentation, and audit requirements for every awarded grant, and keep the company in good standing with every funder
- Funding Body Relations — Act as the company's primary point of contact with funding bodies, managed with the same rigor as an investor relationship
SKILLS
- Technical fluency — You read photonics and engineering material fast, and turn it into language a non-specialist reviewer will fund
- Relentless execution — You track every deadline, every document requirement, and every follow-up independently and meticulously. You don't wait for reminders, and you don't miss a submission window
- Financial literacy — You speak the language of grant budgets, cost eligibility, and milestone-based disbursement.
- Written precision — You speak fluently German and English, tuned to the exact format and tone each program expects
- Negotiation & creative resourcefulness — You find the funding programs others miss.
EXPERIENCE
- 2–5 years of professional experience writing and managing grant applications in Germany and/or at EU level (BAFA, ZIM, EXIST, Horizon Europe, EIC, or comparable)
- Proven ability to translate technical input into funder-ready narrative without needing to be the technical expert
- Track record of managing multiple applications and reporting deadlines end-to-end without dropping details
- Degree in a technical or scientific field — physics, engineering, or comparable. A background in photonics is a plus, not a requirement
If you are passionate about pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in photonics, working on something that genuinely matters and thrive in a high-energy, fast-paced environment, we want to hear from you!
