Technology Lead

Technology Lead 

Contract: Full Time/Fixed Term 
Duration: 9 Months 

Tyndall National Institute is an international leader in semiconductors, photonics and deep-tech research and innovation. As a leading collaborative European research institute, Tyndall is a key actor and hosting partner in the delivery of the ‘Chips for Europe Initiative’ (EU Chips Act). 

Tyndall is Ireland’s leading research and innovation organisation and it is the national focal point for excellence in deep-tech research, development and graduate training at the convergence of nanotechnology, microelectronics, photonics, electronics and AI. Tyndall is recognised as an international research leader in semiconductor, chip and digital technologies, particularly as applied to the fields of Information & Communications, Health & Life Sciences, Agritech & Food Security, Energy and Climate Mitigation, emerging fields such as quantum, and novel computing paradigms. 

The Institute’s key objective is to see frontier research activities having a significant impact on economic development and societal challenges in Ireland, Europe and beyond. Central to Tyndall’s mission is delivering economic impact through research excellence in partnership with industry and academia. With an annual turnover of more than €50m, the Institute has a community of over 600 researchers, engineers, support staff, postgraduate students, interns and industry researchers-in-residence. 

With significant committed Irish government support, Tyndall will grow to be 1,000 people by 2030, with approximately 750 researchers, including 250 PhD students. A new 17,000 m2 research building is under development adjacent to the Cork headquarters and there are developing plans to expand Tyndall’s existing Dublin research labs and to establish other research sites within Ireland. 

Tyndall’s expansion is also supported by recent national and EU funding wins for significant (M€10’s) additional research equipment across a range of areas such as semiconductor processing, microscopy, quantum technologies, heterogeneous integration, ultra-high speed optical communications and RF through THz characterisation. 

About the Team

Advanced packaging is now the key technological driver for the next generation of semiconductor systems, fulfilling the massively increasing demands for high performance, power efficiency, small form factor and low-cost packages across multiple industry market sectors. 

However, many technical challenges remain, from the fundamental scientific challenges of more advanced, reliable and sustainable packaging materials, cost-effective package designs and packaging process flows, to the engineering challenges of package design standardisation and process automation for high-throughput manufacturing. 

Through the Photonics Packaging and Systems Integration research programme at Tyndall, we address these challenges, spanning fundamental research to pilot-scale manufacturing. 

About the Role

Tyndall National Institute at University College Cork is seeking a highly motivated technology expert to manage and prepare for the creation of an advanced packaging start-up company. The company will focus on providing standardised photonic and electronic packaging technology services, supported by significant IP and technical know-how developed over many years at the Tyndall Institute. As the goal is to create the company during 2026, the successful candidate should be available to start employment within four weeks of the offer of employment being issued. 

Key Duties & Responsibilities

An essential part of the role will be to take a leading position in all critical technology and related commercial aspects of the start-up evaluation and preparation process. The successful candidate will work closely with Prof. O’Brien and his packaging research team at Tyndall, with the objective of preparing and reading the critical technologies required for the spin-out company before the end of 2026. The Technology Lead shall also work closely with the newly appointed Business and Commercial Lead to manage and prepare for creation of the company. 

The technology lead’s activities shall include (not exclusively): 

• Technology Development: Identify which packaging technologies are critical to meet the start-up’s business goals. This includes working closely with the Tyndall Packaging Group to transfer technologies into the new company.  
• Technology Benchmarking: Engage with existing contacts and proactively reach out to new ones through marketing, trade show attendance, company visits, and web channels. The goal is to identify and prioritize critical technologies for the start-up company. 
• Customer Development: Identify specific requirements for service performance across applications. Establish pricing strategies, income projections, and potential revenue opportunities. 
• Business Planning: Support the development of a scalable and investible business plan, and engage potential investors, including public funding sources, seed funding, and venture capital. This includes working closely with the Business and Commercial lead. 
• Start-Up Formation: Support the formation of the start-up company. 
• Strategic Direction: Play a leading role in developing the company’s strategic discussions and decision-making, including the technology and product roadmap and funding plans. 
• Supply Chain Development: Develop a viable and sustainable supply chain for the company’s products. 
• Stakeholder Relationship Management: Management of key stakeholder relationships, including customers, investors, Tyndall/UCC, and suppliers. 
• Ensure all activities are compliant with the Tyndall Quality Management System. 
• Ensure all activities are compliant with the required Health and Safety standards. 

Essential Criteria

• At least 8 years of direct experience in relevant Management (operations) roles. 
• Holds a relevant postgraduate degree. 
• Direct experience at a management level in the photonics and semiconductor sector. 
• Experience of leadership of a technical research team in the photonics and semiconductor sector in frontend and backend activities. 
• Proven track record of raising different types of funding and writing research proposals. 
• Business and commercial experience at a management level. 
• Proven track record of solving difficult problems and overcoming barriers to achieve technical goals. 
• Ability to communicate company vision and goals at all levels. 
• Ability to readily travel on a frequent basis in Europe and beyond. 
• Ability to be located at Tyndall to complete the majority of their work and to engage in-person with the packaging research team led by Prof. O’Brien. 

Desirable Criteria

• Experience in developing an IP strategy  
• Established international network of relevant contacts. 
• Passionate about leading and growing a new spin-out company. 
• A leader and a person that is driven and ambitious to succeed. 

What We Offer 

Apart from offering a position in a very successful and positive research environment, with a collaborative ethos full of diverse competencies to boost your career, we offer the following: 

• Impactful Work: Opportunities to contribute to ground-breaking research and innovation that shape Ireland’s economy and the society at large. 
• Continuous Learning: Strong support for formal training, further study and professional development. 
• Interdisciplinary Environment: Where academia, industry, and innovation intersect - supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and expert knowledge. 
• Blended Working: Flexibility to work remotely and on-site, where the role allows. 
• Comprehensive Benefits: Access to UCC pension, long-term illness benefit, life assurance, and more. 
• Generous Leave: Competitive annual leave entitlements. 
• Equity & Inclusion: Athena Swan Bronze award holder, with ongoing initiatives led by a dedicated People and Culture team to ensure equity for all. 
• Core Values: A culture grounded in Ambition, Collaboration, Diversity, Excellence, and Integrity. 
• Entrepreneurial Spirit: A proactive, innovation-driven environment that welcomes entrepreneurial and creative thinkers, including those with start-up experience. 
• Supportive Onboarding: Structured induction and mentoring to help new hires integrate and thrive.  
• Vibrant Culture: A collaborative, people-first workplace with a strong sense of community. 

Terms of Employment

Contract Category: Full-Time

Contract Type: Fixed Term (9 months)

Appointment may be made on the Grade 6A Admin II Scale (B), salary € 72,044 - €91,259 per annum. Salary placement on appointment will be in accordance with the public sector pay policy.

Informal enquiries can be made in confidence Peter O’Brien.

Closing date for applications for this position is Friday, Feb 20th at 1pm.

Application Instructions

Please make sure to attach an up to date CV/Resume AND a brief motivation letter outlining how you meet the ‘Essential Criteria’ for this role.

A full candidate information pack is available to download by clicking here.

Please note that Garda vetting and/or an international police clearance check may form part of the selection process.
Please note that an appointment to posts advertised will be dependent on University approval, together with the terms of the employment control framework for the higher education sector.
At this time, Tyndall National Institute does not require the assistance of recruitment agencies.
Tyndall National Institute at University College, Cork is an Equal Opportunities Employer.