Nanophotonics Materials Engineer for Optical Substrates

SNAP, Inc.; Vale of White Horse; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Snap Inc. is seeking a Nanophotonics Engineer to develop, qualify, and scale optical materials, waveguide processes, and measurement methodologies for next-generation augmented reality devices.

This role combines materials qualification with optical simulation, hands-on fabrication, metrology, mechanical and reliability testing, and engagement with suppliers across the full development lifecycle.

Qualifications

• PhD in Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or 7+ years of relevant industry experience.
• Hands-on experience with optical experimentation, materials characterization, photonic device development, or a related laboratory discipline.
• Experience analyzing complex experimental data and delivering technical recommendations.

Responsibilities

• Lead or support material and substrate qualification across polymers, glass, lithium niobate, silicon carbide, and other advanced optical materials.
• Define sample requirements, test plans, acceptance criteria, and data packages for internal and external technical initiatives.
• Perform and interpret optical measurements, including transmission, reflectance, refractive index, absorption, haze, scattering, efficiency, uniformity, luminance, MTF, and FOV.
• Establish measurement methods and evaluate metrology capability for surface roughness, flatness, scattering, visual inspection, and wafer-level optical characterization.
• Plan and execute experiments comparing optical simulations with measured performance, identifying discrepancies and closing the loop through design or process revisions.
• Develop and refine fabrication processes, including wafer cleaning, nanoimprinting, thin-film coating, laser cutting, blackening, and waveguide stacking.
• Develop reliability and mechanical test strategies covering flexural strength, impact and drop resistance, thermal exposure, UV weathering, humidity, dynamic fatigue, adhesion, and geometric stability.
• Translate optical and process requirements into supplier-ready drawings, wafer layouts, mask data, cutting instructions, and technical specifications.
• Collaborate directly with material, coating, wafer, and equipment suppliers to qualify capabilities, review technical data, manage samples, and resolve process challenges.
• Coordinate cross-functional builds and trials alongside materials, process, design, manufacturing, reliability, and optical-test engineering teams.
• Analyze experimental data, maintain rigorous technical documentation, and communicate key insights and recommendations to stakeholders and leadership.

Skills

Optics fundamentals

Nanophotonics

R&D experience

Data analysis

Education

PhD in Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical, Mechanical or related

Tools

Python

MATLAB

CAD

DXF

FEA

Job description

Snap Inc. is seeking a Nanophotonics Engineer to develop, qualify, and scale optical materials, waveguide processes, and measurement methodologies for next-generation augmented reality devices.

This role combines materials qualification with optical simulation, hands-on fabrication, metrology, mechanical and reliability testing, and engagement with suppliers across the full development lifecycle.