Material Scientist, Glass Analytics

LIGHTPATH TECHNOLOGIES 1 • Orlando, FL

3d • Onsite

About The Position

LightPath is seeking a Materials Scientist who will lead in-depth characterization of LightPath’s chalcogenide glass materials, with a primary focus on understanding, quantifying, and controlling temperature-dependent physical, thermal, mechanical, optical, and electrical properties. This role is responsible for establishing and operating a Glass Analytics laboratory that generates reliable, repeatable, and defensible materials data to support product development, manufacturing scale-up, and customer engagement. The position partners closely with glass melting, optical design, process engineering, metrology, and reliability teams to ensure that material property data accurately reflects melt-to-melt variability and is suitable for modeling, design trade studies, and customer or conference presentation.

Requirements

• Master's degree or Ph.D. in Materials Science, Physics, Chemistry, or related field
• 3+ years of experience in materials characterization, preferably with glass or optical materials
• Strong background in thermal analysis, mechanical testing, and optical characterization techniques
• Experience with laboratory instrumentation for property measurement (DSC, DMA, spectrophotometry, etc.)
• Proven ability to work independently and manage multiple projects
• Demonstrated ability to develop reliable, repeatable testing methodologies
• Excellent data analysis and documentation skills
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical presentations

Nice To Haves

• Specific experience with chalcogenide glasses or infrared optical materials
• Background in glass science or ceramic materials
• Experience presenting at technical conferences or publishing in peer-reviewed journals
• Knowledge of optical design principles and requirements
• Familiarity with statistical analysis and design of experiments (DOE)
• Experience in customer-facing technical roles

Responsibilities

• Establish and operate a Glass Analytics laboratory for comprehensive characterization of chalcogenide glass materials
• Develop validated test methods, uncertainty analyses, and standard operating procedures for glass analysis to ensure data repeatability and traceability from melt to melt.
• Correlate measured material properties with melt chemistry, processing conditions, and downstream manufacturing behavior.
• Maintain materials property databases suitable for use in optical design, FEA, and process modeling.
• Support internal engineering teams with materials data for design reviews, failure analysis, and root-cause investigations.
• Prepare technical reports, white papers, and presentations for customers, internal stakeholders, and external conferences.
• Interface with equipment vendors, research partners, and academic collaborators as needed.
• Other duties as assigned

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior