Optical Materials Scientist

Leidos•San Diego, CA

About The Position

The Leidos Defense Space Business Area is seeking a talented Optical Materials Scientist to support our Emerging Space Systems Division. In this role, you will drive the development of tunable optical metasurfaces designed to enable multi- and hyper-spectral sensing on next-generation space missions. Our Space Business Area is actively transforming space payload solutions through customer-funded programs and high-impact internal research and development (IR&D) efforts. If you are passionate about enabling groundbreaking capabilities in space-based sensing and working at the intersection of optical simulation, nanofabrication, and laboratory experimentation, we want you on our team.

Requirements

BS degree in Physics, Materials Science, Optics, or a related field with 8+ years of prior relevant experience or MS degree with 6+ years of prior relevant. May possess a Doctorate in technical domain.
US citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret security clearance.
Demonstrated research or development experience specifically in optical and infrared materials.
Hands-on experience with full-wave electromagnetic modeling software (e.g., Ansys HFSS, COMSOL, or Lumerical).
Deep familiarity with the infrared/optical properties of materials (including phase change materials), metamaterials, and metasurfaces.
Foundational familiarity or experience with infrared detector technology.
Experience utilizing optimization methods, including adjoint gradient descent and topology optimization.
Strong analytical problem-solving skills, sharp attention to detail, and effective written/verbal communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain a higher-level clearance (TS/SCI).
Hands-on experience with cleanroom environments and nanofabrication techniques (e.g., electron-beam lithography, photolithography, etching).
Prior exposure to designing optical components intended for space environments or satellite payloads.
Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or C++ for automated data collection or custom optical modeling scripts.
Record of research contributions demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, patents, conference presentations, or development of relevant optical technologies.

Responsibilities

Lead full-wave electromagnetic modeling to identify, optimize, and evaluate tunable infrared metasurface filters based on phase change materials.
Architect advanced models to analyze the specific impact of tunable filters on the overall performance of infrared sensor systems.
Research, identify, and establish viable methods to successfully fabricate optimized optical designs.
Create and execute comprehensive laboratory characterization plans to validate modeled performance against real-world data.
Partner closely with senior engineers and multidisciplinary teams to evaluate, test, and mature emerging optical technologies.
Analyze experimental data to inform ongoing design decisions and document technical results to support IR&D and formal program milestones.