Staff Optical Scientist
About The Position
The primary role of the Staff Optical Scientist will be to lead the modeling, design, and development of laser and optical assemblies for use in various measurement technologies. This role will serve as a subject matter expert in optics throughout the organization and will create test plans, author test reports, work with technicians to perform tests, and document the test results. This role will have contact with systems engineers, technicians, design engineers, project management, metrology, quality, marketing, sales, customers, and tech support. The Staff Optical Scientist will require a strong working knowledge of mathematical modeling tools, electronics, electro-optics, laser physics, light scattering theory, sensor technology, and metrology. Among other tasks, the Optical Scientist will work with multi-disciplinary design teams to define technical requirements, determine feasibility, and lay out and maintain a technology roadmap for future products. The optical solutions will have applications in aerosol physics, particle counting, gas concentration measurement and speciation, agriculture, ventilation/humidity/air flow/velocity, and outdoor air quality.
Requirements
- MS or PhD (PhD preferred) in physics, applied physics, electrical engineering, optical engineering, mechanical engineering, or similar field from an established research institution
- 8+ years experience in a product development environment as a scientist or test engineer
- Electro-optics and laser physics as applied to instrumentation
- Thorough understanding of laser operation and non-linear characteristics
- Physical optics: diffraction, polarization
- Geometric optics: ability to design and/or specify special-purpose lenses; aberration
- Light scattering theory and practical applications
- Experience with optical modeling using tools such as Matlab, Mathcad, Zemax, or similar
- Excellent hands-on experimentalist, rigorous documentation, and reporting
- Strong understanding of problems and best-practice solutions in detecting, counting, and sizing particles
- Strong understanding problems and best-practice solutions with photometers
- Good working knowledge of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, heat transfer, and optics
- Experience converting requirements into tests
Nice To Haves
- Experience in photonics
- Experience with lens and mirror design and coating design or selection
- Experience designing and using photodiodes, APDs, photomultipliers, spectrometers, and array detection devices like CCDs
- Understanding problems and known solutions in detecting, sizing, and counting aerosol and liquisol particles
- Knowledge of signal processing techniques
- Experience leading technicians
- Knowledge gas measurement techniques (FTIR, FID, NDIR, EC, and PID)
- Performing uncertainty analysis of complex calibration systems
- Developing products used for environmental monitoring applications
Responsibilities
- Support existing methods and contribute ideas to improve the company’s core competency in the areas such as lasers, spectroscopy, instrumentation design, particle counting and sizing
- Design and prototyping of optical systems to include lenses, coatings, mirrors, fibers, and waveguides
- Evaluate existing methods and develop improved methods for measurements and instrumentation
- As needed, write, comment, and de-bug software/modeling code for optics and other models accurately and efficiently, while following TSI coding standards
- Publish papers and generate patent applications relating to the company’s measurement needs
- Participate on project teams and attend technical reviews offering insights on detection possibilities
- Keep active in the fields of interest by reviewing literature, interacting with existing and potential collaborators, and networking with industrial and academic colleagues
- Work with leaders in the field to develop and implement advanced optical measurement techniques; this can include working from published literature or directly with developers of licensed technologies
- Participate in technical feasibility projects
- Provide consulting across the organization to address problems and recommend solutions
- Develop and execute research, feasibility, verification, and validation subsystem and system level test plans
- Lead technicians in the testing effort
- Mentor technicians on performing tests, documenting test results, and providing a physics-based explanation of what is being tested
- Respond to advanced technical questions from the field
- Participate in technical reviews offering insights on design, especially from a customer’s perspective
- Participate in design reviews; give critical and constructive feedback to improve the reviewed designs
- Work cooperatively with other departments to develop best practices
- Complete other assignments and special projects, as requested
Benefits
- Health Insurance: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Retirement Plan: 401(k) with company match.
- Paid Time Off Program: Paid time off, paid holidays, and paid floating holidays.
- Other Benefits: Life insurance, employee assistance program (EAP), and professional development opportunities.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
Ph.D. or professional degree
