# Optical Materials Scientist

**Company**: Leidos
**Location**: San Diego, CA
**Experience**: senior
**Job type**: full-time
**Salary**: $107,900.00 - $195,050.00
**Category**: Engineering
**Industry**: Technology

**Apply**: https://leidos.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/San-Diego-CA/Optical-Materials-Scientist_R-00190042?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply
**Canonical**: https://yubhub.co/jobs/job_d763e025-0a0

## Description

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.

**Key Responsibilities**

- Design & Modeling: Lead full-wave electromagnetic modeling to identify, optimize, and evaluate tunable infrared metasurface filters based on phase change materials.

- Performance Simulation: Architect advanced models to analyze the specific impact of tunable filters on the overall performance of infrared sensor systems.

- Fabrication Planning: Research, identify, and establish viable methods to successfully fabricate optimized optical designs.

- Experimental Validation: Create and execute comprehensive laboratory characterization plans to validate modeled performance against real-world data.

- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Partner closely with senior engineers and multidisciplinary teams to evaluate, test, and mature emerging optical technologies.

- Data Analysis & Documentation: Analyze experimental data to inform ongoing design decisions and document technical results to support IR&D and formal program milestones.

**Basic Qualifications**

- Education: 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.

- Security Clearance: US citizenship with the ability to obtain and maintain an active DoD Secret security clearance.

- Core Experience: Demonstrated research or development experience specifically in optical and infrared materials.

- Software Proficiency: Hands-on experience with full-wave electromagnetic modeling software (e.g., Ansys HFSS, COMSOL, or Lumerical).

- Technical Knowledge: Deep familiarity with the infrared/optical properties of materials (including phase change materials), metamaterials, and metasurfaces.

- Sensor Technology: Foundational familiarity or experience with infrared detector technology.

- Optimization Skills: Experience utilizing optimization methods, including adjoint gradient descent and topology optimization.

- Professional Skills: Strong analytical problem-solving skills, sharp attention to detail, and effective written/verbal communication skills.

**Preferred Qualifications**

- Active Clearance: Active Secret clearance with the ability to obtain a higher-level clearance (TS/SCI).

- Cleanroom Experience: Hands-on experience with cleanroom environments and nanofabrication techniques (e.g., electron-beam lithography, photolithography, etching).

- Spaceflight Hardware: Prior exposure to designing optical components intended for space environments or satellite payloads.

- Programming: Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, or C++ for automated data collection or custom optical modeling scripts.

- Publication Record: Record of research contributions demonstrated through peer-reviewed publications, patents, conference presentations, or development of relevant optical technologies.

**Pay Range:** $107,900.00 - $195,050.00

## Skills

### Required
- full-wave electromagnetic modeling
- optical and infrared materials
- phase change materials
- metamaterials
- metasurfaces
- infrared detector technology
- optimization methods
- Python
- MATLAB
- C++

### Nice to have
- active Secret clearance
- cleanroom experience
- nanofabrication techniques
- spaceflight hardware
- peer-reviewed publications

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Source: [Apply at leidos.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com](https://leidos.wd5.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/External/job/San-Diego-CA/Optical-Materials-Scientist_R-00190042?utm_source=yubhub.co&utm_medium=jobs_feed&utm_campaign=apply)