Staff Design Engineer, Metalenses

We are looking for a Staff Engineer, Metalens Design. In this role, you’ll be part of a cross-functional team whose mission is to lead IonQ on its journey to build the world’s best quantum computers to solve the world’s most complex problems. 

In this role, you will focus primarily on developing and utilizing in-house design pipelines to produce detailed and accurate simulations of optical metasurfaces, including as components of complex multi-element systems. You will instruct collaborators on fabricating metasurfaces for use in trapped ion quantum computing systems. You will also have the opportunity to work with a cross-functional team of engineers and physicists to innovate the design of cutting-edge trapped-ion quantum computing modules and components, through your expertise on the opportunities and limitations of optical metasurface technology. The design workflows and simulation pipelines you build and use will help drive the overall development of a new and game-changing photonics technology to enable scalable quantum computing. 

Responsibilities:

• Build up the micro-optics and metalens design and simulation workflow, across multiple photonics and optics simulation tools, to ensure high accuracy, efficient, and detailed modelling.
• Model and optimize the design of meta-atom libraries using techniques such as finite-element analysis, FDTD, RCWA, etc.
• Utilize the simulation pipeline and ray-tracing tools to design and optimize metalens and micro-optic components
• Perform automated sensitivity and tolerance analysis on optical systems composed of meta-optic components
• Maintain high-quality, scalable, well-tested scripts and models through architecture and code reviews.
• Use device characterization data as feedback for design and fabrication to improve optics performance and simulation accuracy.
• Drive, review, and finalize device specifications in collaboration with the system team, system integrators, and product team
• Drive research efforts in the modeling and integration of metalenses in complex systems, in collaboration with cross-functional collaborators.
• Identify, track, and resolve or mitigate execution roadblocks and technical risks
• Provide clear, concise communication to management and team members in different forums and for a variety of backgrounds and expertise
• Teamwork: Strong team player with the ability to collaborate with various stakeholders, such as testing engineers and physicists, who depend on the design results

You’d be a good fit with: 

• Ph.D. in optical engineering, electrical engineering or related field/discipline
• 8+ years of professional relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience
• 5+ years of experience in the hands-on design, simulation, and optimization of optical metalenses
• 3+ years of programming experience in a general-purpose programming language (like Python, Matlab, etc.)
• Experience with simulation tools for photonic devices, such as Lumerical, COMSOL, Flexcompute, or similar
• Experience with raytracing tools and optical design tools, such as Zemax, Code V or similar
• Strong data processing, visualization, and organizational skills
• Familiarity with fabrication processes, design constraints, test, and packaging requirements for metalenses

You’d be a great fit with:

• 7+ years of optical design and simulation experience of metalenses and microoptics
• 3+ years of industry experience
• Strong programming skills for mask layout and experimental automation software, and experience with version control systems such as git
• Experience using 3D CAD tools like Autodesk Inventor or SolidWorks
• Experience with automation of optical design tools, such as with Zemax or Code V APIs or macro languages
• Experience with the design and development of complex optical and photonic systems, such as those composed of metalenses, microoptics and conventional lenses.
• Experience designing, building, and using optical testing infrastructure, including automated testing systems

Location: This position can work onsite or hybrid from one of our offices (College Park, MD, Bothell, WA) or fully remote in the US.
Travel: Less than 10%
Job ID:  1092

The approximate base salary range for this position is $123,191 - $161,289. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, and equity.