Optical Research Engineer Jobs

Optical Research Engineer Responsibilities:

• Develop viable, scalable, and profitable patterning capabilities, including both methods and tools for recording materials with anisotropy on flat and curved surfaces through optical designs and experimental validations.
• Lead research and development in polarization holograms recording, fabrication, and metrology on flat and curved surfaces to enable next generation near-to-eye augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) display designs.
• Collaborate closely with team members to establish the simulation, fabrication, and metrology close loop for advanced devices with anisotropy and their performance in AR/VR displays.
• Collaborate with the larger research and product development team to explore concepts, and evaluate and drive new devices development to create compelling experiences at system level.
• Set project roadmaps, timelines, and deliverables, proactively communicating the project status with stakeholders, and mitigating project risks to ensure success.
• Initiate new partnerships based on business needs and support on-going team external engagements.
• Collaborate with the internal Optics and Display Research team, Opto-ME teams, and external tools vendors to develop customized hologram recording systems to enable 2D/3D anisotropy structures on flat and curved surfaces meeting dynamic project needs.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Masters degree or equivalent experience in Physics, Optical Science, Electric Engineering, Materials Science, or similar field.
• Understanding of how polarization optics and holographic optical elements work and are made.
• 1+ years of experience leading projects through full cycle from early-stage concept to mass-producible or commercialized product for consumer electronics industry.
• Experience in project management and collaboration with cross-functional teams solving complex technical problems.
• 3+ years of laboratory experience designing optical experiments and optical metrology.
• Understanding of liquid crystal films, liquid crystal modeling, and AR/VR lens optics & display optics.
• 3+ years of direct working experience in one or more roles in interference lithography tools development, such as an Optical Engineer role, or Opto-Mechanical Engineer role, or Physical Optics Research Scientist, or Optical System Architect role.
• 3+ years of experience in one or more optical modeling tools, such as polarization optics and physical optics modeling tools, such as MATLAB, Python, COMSOL, and methods (such as Jones Matrix, FDTD, or RCWA), or optical system design and polarization ray tracing tools of FRED, CODE V or ZEMAX etc.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Working experience with cross-functional teams including Optical Engineering, Opto-Mechanical Engineering, Hardware Engineering, Business development, Partnerships, Technical Programs Management and Legal.
• 7+ years of research experience in applying existing, emerging optical technologies, and incubating ideas from concept validation to system improvement of NEDs.
• Experience in coaching and/or mentoring others in the team.
• 5+ years of research experience with holographic optical elements in design, fabrication, and metrology.
• Strong peer-reviewed publication record.
• Experience in free-form optics design.
• Experience in tolerance analysis of optical systems, and/or aberration correction.
• Leadership in conferences, grants, fellowships, patents, or other professional societies.
• Ph.D. degree or equivalent experience in Physics, Optical Science, Electric Engineering, Materials Science, or similar.
• Interpersonal skills for strong cross-group and cross-culture collaboration.
• A growth mindset with experience in managing ambiguity and conflict of interest at work.
• Experience in communicating to champion initiatives internally and externally, including compilation of clear and concise briefing materials for effective communication with executive management and external partners.