Optics & Photonics in Berlin

Dear electrical engineers, laser technicians, environmental analysts and colleagues, Berlin’s optics and photonics industry has a wide range of professions. These are mainly concerned with the development and application of optical technologies such as lighting and microsystem technology, for example. With around 400 high-tech firms and over 16,000 employees, the capital is one of the industry’s most important and popular locations nationwide.

Cameras, fibre optics, lasers, LEDs, sensors and displays – optical technologies are among the principal technologies of the 21st century. The Berlin-Brandenburg region’s corporate landscape specialises in the following:

• Photonics for communication and sensor systems
• Laser technology
• Biomedical optics and ophthalmic optics

Berlin’s photonics sector is crucial for further global developments in IT, medicine, biotechnology, the environment, transport, mechanical engineering, security, fashion and building technology. In Berlin and Brandenburg, there are many specialised SMEs, as well as traditional firms, such as  Osram, Berliner Glas and SPECS. Global players such as Carl Zeiss, Cisco and Tektronix have also established sites in the region. In addition, more and more start-ups are being founded, such as ic! Berlin, Mister Spexand Spree Fiber, for example. You can find more Berlin and Brandenburg companies in the field of optics & photonics in our overview!

You also have the option of seeking employment in industry-specific networks and associations. Networks such as OpTec BB e.V. or associations such as Laserverbund Berlin-Brandenburg e.V. and Spectaris - German Industry Association for Optics, Photonics, Analytical and Medical Technologies all have subsidiaries in Berlin, offering additional interesting job opportunities. Begin your job search now! It will be worth your while.

Berlin has an excellent research and science landscape. 2,200 of the 16,000 employees in the optics and photonics industry alone work at one of the 36 colleges, universities and research institutions. Their subject areas and research priorities include semiconductor radiation sources (laser diodes, LEDs), optical telecommunication technology for the next generation of the Internet and optical measuring systems. The key institutions include the Fraunhofer Institute for Telecommunications, Heinrich Hertz Institute (HHI), the German Aerospace Centre (DLR) - Institute of Optical Sensor Systems and the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und Prüfung (BAM).

Five universities and colleges cater for the next generation in Berlin. Be it physics at FU Berlin (Freie Universität), optical sciences at HU zu Berlin (Humboldt University) or electrical engineering at TU Berlin (Technische Universität) – the capital has more than 15 optics and photonics courses.