Advanced Optical Component Design and Characterization Researcher

Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory•Laurel, MD

14d

About The Position

Are you an optical physicist or engineer who enjoys both modeling/simulation and performing experiments to characterize optical and infrared interactions with novel 2D optical surfaces? Do you have experience with commercial computational software and optimization tools to gain insight into the interplay between novel materials and electromagnetic fields—specifically optical and infrared—and improve the design accordingly? Do you seek to collaborate with an interdisciplinary team to carry your solutions through the full cycle of design, fabrication, characterization, and prototyping? If so, we're looking for someone like you to join our team at APL! As part of a multi-disciplinary research team, you will join computational and experimental scientists and engineers who are passionate about developing innovative solutions that can impact the future development and application of electromagnetic devices using novel metasurface and phase-change material designs. Our team is committed to scientific excellence and continuous learning, valuing high-risk, high-reward ideas, honest discussion, and open collaboration. We are seeking a creative and multidisciplinary scientist to help us mature existing projects and grow new ones by identifying emerging sponsor challenges that require novel electromagnetic solutions in the optical frequency range. The scope of the projects can range from fundamental discovery through advanced prototype demonstration. As a member of our team, you'll contribute to research that proceeds from computational modeling and optimization through prototyping and characterization to real-world transitioned technologies. As a Design and Characterization Researcher: Your primary responsibilities will be to (1) utilize computational tools to design and simulate the performance of optical metasurfaces, and (2) perform experiments to characterize the performance of metasurfaces in the optical frequency range. The former responsibility will leverage commercial computational tools to build simulations and develop numerical solutions. In addition, you will be encouraged to help develop independent research and development ideas that demonstrate the potential of new and emerging technologies for groundbreaking applications within the APL sponsor base. You will collaborate with a multi-disciplinary team of physicists, engineers, and fabrication technicians to gain deeper insights into sensors, devices, and related phenomena.

Requirements

Hold a Ph.D. degree in Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with at least one year of experience.
Have a record of creatively applying physics knowledge and performing experimental characterization of novel electromagnetic structures.
Possess familiarity with the physics of tailoring electromagnetic fields to control reflection, transmission, and absorption through patterned surfaces and engineered material properties.
Have previous experience with laboratory characterization of optical materials or components using hardware such as Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectrometers and ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectrometers.
Write scientific programs in at least one high-level language (e.g., C, C++, Java) or an interpreted language (e.g., MATLAB, Python).
Are able to obtain an Interim Secret security clearance by your start date and can ultimately obtain a Secret-level clearance. If selected, you will be subject to a government security clearance investigation and must meet the requirements for access to classified information. Eligibility requirements include U.S. citizenship.

Nice To Haves

Possess insight into various fabrication methods and related tolerances pertinent to engineered electromagnetic surfaces.
Have working experience building numerical models for solving electromagnetic problems using commercial tools such as CST and COMSOL.

Responsibilities

utilize computational tools to design and simulate the performance of optical metasurfaces
perform experiments to characterize the performance of metasurfaces in the optical frequency range
develop independent research and development ideas that demonstrate the potential of new and emerging technologies for groundbreaking applications within the APL sponsor base