R&D Technician (m/f/d)

About Hades

Hades is a modern mining company on a mission to transform how the world accesses critical resources and energy. Founded in 2025, we’re developing ultra-deep laser drilling technologies that push the limits of what’s possible underground. Based in Munich, we’ve raised over €20M in funding from leading European resilience investors including HV Capital, Headline, Project A and Visionaries Tomorrow. We’re now building a world-class team to bring this vision to life.

Why Join Hades?

• At Hades, you'll be part of a high-growth, high-impact deep-tech startup making a tangible difference. Our mission is critical: to secure sovereignty for Europe through the responsible and efficient extraction of vital materials and energy. We offer:
• Impactful Work: Contribute directly to solving global challenges related to resource scarcity and energy independence.
• Cutting-Edge Technology: Work at the forefront of ultra-deep drilling, leveraging advanced engineering and innovative approaches.
• Growth Potential: Join a rapidly expanding company with significant opportunities for personal and professional development.
• Dynamic Environment: Thrive in a fast-paced, collaborative, and entrepreneurial setting in the heart of Munich.
• Purpose-Driven Mission: Be part of a team dedicated to a sustainable and secure future for Europe.

The Role

As an R&D Technician at Hades, you will be the hands-on force behind testing and building Cerberus, our fibre laser drilling system. Working in our Munich lab, you’ll plan and run experiments on the system and its subsystems, build and align (opto-)mechanical assemblies, and set up the lab infrastructure our development runs on. You’ll take on work that today ties up our physicists and engineers, and bring the practical experience that turns lab prototypes into robust, reliable hardware. Working closely with the optics, mechanical and systems engineering teams, your results feed directly into the next iteration of Cerberus.

What you'll do

• Test our laser drilling system and its subsystems - from component checks to full-system runs
• Plan and run experiments independently, in coordination with the development team
• Document and analyse test results so engineers can act on them
• Build assemblies: (opto-)mechanical assembly, optical alignment, electronics testing
• Set up, extend and maintain our lab infrastructure
• Bring your hands-on experience into design decisions for the next Cerberus iterations

What you bring

We welcome two profiles - if you recognise yourself in either, apply:

• Experimental / test: you have run experiments independently, built lab infrastructure and evaluated results - e.g. in semiconductor equipment, a research institute, or field service on complex machines
• Optical assembly: you have built optical or opto-mechanical assemblies by hand, ideally in a cleanroom or lab environment

In both cases:

• Technician, Bachelor's, or vocational training - your hands-on experience matters more than the title
• Experience with complex technical systems, e.g. optics or lasers, semiconductor equipment, medical devices or vacuum systems
• A careful, precise approach to assembly and experimental setups
• Initiative and a talent for improvisation when the setup doesn't exist yet
• Fluent English; German is a plus

Why Hades?

We offer

• An opportunity to make a huge impact on the future of Europe by increasing resilience and providing a path to resource and energy sovereignty
• A role with real ownership in a deep-tech company from its early days
• A human-centered company culture with super nice and supportive colleagues
• A great sense of community through team events and fun in and outside the office
• Highly competitive compensation, benefits and equity package

Apply with your CV and any other relevant documents, such as a portfolio, patents or publications.