Optical Engineer, Waveguide Experiments

Snap; Abingdon; On-site; GBP 93,000 - 116,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid parental leave

Comprehensive medical coverage

Emotional and mental health support

Job summary

Snap Inc. is seeking an Optical Engineer for the Waveguide Experiments team on a 12‑month fixed‑term contract. You will develop experimental methods, build optical setups, automate measurements, and analyze waveguide data to advance AR waveguide performance.

Required strong optics foundation, interferometry, Python data analysis, and hands‑on lab experience. Competitive salary £93,000–£116,000 with a collaborative, office‑based environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related Engineering field.
• 3+ years of hands‑on research experience in optical metrology.

Responsibilities

• Develop new experimental methods to deepen understanding of AR waveguide physics.
• Build and apply models of optical and physical phenomena to interpret lab experiments.
• Design, build, and automate optical setups.
• Run experimental analysis of waveguides using both proprietary and commercial tools.
• Perform root cause analysis of failures of waveguide displays.
• Perform experiments on diffractive nanostructures to improve correlation between measurements and predictions.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional engineering teams on waveguide bring‑up, debugging, and performance improvement.

Skills

Optics theory

Polarization theory

Interferometry

Python data analysis

Lab experiments

Waveguide systems

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering/Physics/Electrical Engineering

PhD in Optical Engineering or related field

Tools

Zemax

CodeV

FRED

ASAP

Lumerical

COMSOL

Job description

Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together. The Company operates Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world, and Specs Inc., a wholly‑owned subsidiary dedicated to making computing more human, in addition to Bitmoji, Saturn, and other digital services. Specs Inc. is a wholly‑owned subsidiary of Snap Inc. dedicated to making computing more human. The company develops Specs, advanced eyewear that seamlessly integrates digital experiences into the physical world. Specs feature see‑through lenses that place digital objects directly into three‑dimensional space, powered by Snap OS, a proprietary, context‑aware operating system designed for natural interaction with your hands and voice. Specs Inc. also provides Lens Studio, a full suite of advanced developer tools that powers immersive augmented reality experiences across Specs, Snapchat, and other services.

We're looking for an Optical Engineer to join our Waveguide Experiments team for a 12-month fixed‑term contract at Snap Inc!

What you’ll do:

• Develop new experimental methods to deepen understanding of AR waveguide physics
• Build and apply models of optical and physical phenomena to interpret lab experiments
• Design, build, and automate optical setups
• Run experimental analysis of waveguides using both proprietary and commercial tools
• Perform root cause analysis of failures of waveguide displays
• Perform experiments on diffractive nanostructures to make improvements in correlation between measurements and predictions and help drive improvements in optical performance
• Collaborate with cross‑functional engineering teams on waveguide bring‑up, debugging, and performance improvement

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Strong theoretical foundation in optics and diffraction theory (including physical and geometric optics, imaging, radiometry, photometry, colorimetry, statistics etc.)
• Solid understanding of polarization theory and experimental techniques
• Experience with interferometry and phase retrieval methods
• Strong scripting and data analysis skills in Python (or similar)
• Proficient in error analysis of experiments
• Experience working in an optical lab environment, hands‑on experience setting up and aligning optical systems (lasers, fiber optics, detectors, cameras)
• Skilled in equipment automation and control
• Experience of nanoscale metrology for evaluating diffractive structures (SEM, AFM)
• Strong planning and organisational skills for high‑risk R&D projects
• Adaptable to rapid changes in project scope or timelines
• Clear communicator with strong reasoning and collaboration skills
• Flexible and team‑oriented with a proactive, problem‑solving mindset appropriate for a dynamic R&D environment

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related Engineering field.
• 3+ years of hands‑on research experience in optical metrology

Preferred Qualifications:

• PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics or a related field
• Theoretical and experimental research experience in diffractive AR waveguides
• An understanding or background in the manufacture of diffractive or nanophotonics optical devices such as nanophotonics mastering, replication by nanoimprint lithography or photolithography, and optical coatings
• Experience with optical system design tools such as Zemax, CodeV, FRED, ASAP
• Experience of using wave optical modelling tools such as Lumerical, RSoft, COMSOL, MEEP

We offer a competitive salary range £93,000 - £116,000 which is commensurate with your qualifications and experience and the level of this role.

If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don’t be shy and provide us some information.

Default Together Policy at Snap:

At Snap Inc. we believe that being together in person helps us build our culture faster, reinforce our values, and serve our community, customers and partners better through dynamic collaboration. To reflect this, we practice a default together approach and expect our team members to work in an office 4+ days per week. At Snap, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to create innovative products that improve the way people live and communicate.

Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws.

EOE, including disability/vets.

Our Benefits:

• paid parental leave
• comprehensive medical coverage
• emotional and mental health support programs
• compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long‑term success!

Curious what it's like to work at Snap? Meet the people behind our products and discover how our values shape the way we create, innovate, and connect.

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