Optical Characterization Engineer

Ravee Optics Inc; Dayton (OH); On-site; USD 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and benefits

Opportunity to grow with the company

Collaborative startup environment

Job summary

Ravee Optics Inc in Dayton, Ohio is looking for an Optical Characterization Engineer to lead the validation and performance testing of advanced optical components. This hands-on role involves designing and executing experiments to quantify device performance across different wavelengths. Candidates should possess strong optical physics knowledge and experience with automation.

Join a collaborative startup at the forefront of optical communications technology in the space economy, offering competitive salary and growth opportunities.

Qualifications

• 2+ years of hands‑on optical lab experience for M.S. or 0-2 for Ph.D.
• Strong understanding of Fourier optics and wave optics.
• Experience with optical lab equipment like lasers, cameras, and spectrometers.

Responsibilities

• Lead experimental validation of metasurfaces and meta-optics.
• Design and automate optical experiments.
• Analyze experimental data to extract performance metrics.

Skills

Optical physics knowledge

Experimental expertise

Hardware-software integration (LabVIEW/Python)

Data analysis

Test automation

Education

M.S. or Ph.D. in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering

Tools

LabVIEW

Python

MATLAB

Job description

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly skilled Optical Characterization Engineer to lead the experimental validation and performance testing of advanced metasurface and meta-optic components. This role is hands‑on and lab‑focused, involving the design, automation, and execution of optical experiments to quantify device performance across a range of wavelengths and operating conditions.

The ideal candidate will combine strong optical physics knowledge, experimental expertise, and hardware‑software integration skills (LabVIEW/Python) to build scalable, automated characterization platforms and extract meaningful insights from complex datasets.

Optical Testing & Characterization

• Design and execute experiments to characterize metasurfaces and meta-optics, including:
• Optics testing
• Transmission / reflection efficiency
• Phase and amplitude response
• Beam steering / wavefront shaping
• Polarization response
• Spectral performance (UV–VIS–IR as applicable)
• Set up and operate optical test benches (lasers, detectors, spectrometers, interferometers, cameras, etc.)
• Perform alignment, calibration, and validation of optical measurement systems

Test Automation & HW/SW Integration

• Develop and maintain automated test systems using:
• LabVIEW, Python, or similar tools
• Interface with lab hardware (e.g., motion stages, power meters, cameras, spectrometers, DAQ systems)
• Implement synchronized data acquisition and control loops for high‑throughput testing
• Build modular, scalable test frameworks for repeated measurements and production‑like environments

Data Analysis & Post-Processing

• Analyze experimental data to extract optical performance metrics and compare with simulations/design models
• Develop data processing pipelines using Python (NumPy, SciPy, Pandas, etc.) or MATLAB
• Perform:
• Fourier optics analysis
• Phase retrieval / wavefront reconstruction
• Statistical analysis across wafers/devices
• Generate clear technical reports, plots, and presentations for internal and external stakeholders

Collaboration & Development

• Work closely with design, fabrication, and system teams to correlate measured performance with design intent
• Provide feedback to improve metasurface designs and fabrication processes
• Support system‑level integration and validation (e.g., imaging systems, lasercom, sensing platforms)

Required Qualifications

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Optics, Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 2+ years (M.S.) or 0–2 years (Ph.D.) of hands‑on optical lab experience
• Strong understanding of:
• Fourier optics and wave optics
• Optical instrumentation and measurement techniques
• Polarization, coherence, and diffraction phenomena
• Experience with test automation and instrumentation control:
• LabVIEW and/or Python (PyVISA, instrument drivers, etc.)
• Experience with optical lab equipment such as:
• Lasers (CW/pulsed), detectors, cameras
• Spectrometers, interferometers
• Motorized stages, beam profiling tools

Preferred Qualifications

• Direct experience with metasurfaces / meta‑optics / diffractive optics
• Experience with IR systems (LWIR/MWIR) or free‑space optical systems (lasercom)
• Familiarity with optical simulation tools (e.g., Lumerical, Zemax, COMSOL)
• Experience with cleanroom‑fabricated devices and wafer‑level testing
• Knowledge of optical system integration (imaging, sensing, or communication systems)
• Experience with version control (Git) and structured code development

What We Offer

• Opportunity to work at the forefront of the rapidly growing space economy
• Collaborative startup environment with high impact
• Competitive salary and benefits
• Opportunity to grow with the company as we scale

Join Us

If you're excited about building the future of connectivity in space, we'd love to talk.

About Ravee Optics

The next space race is not about rockets. It's about data in orbit. Thousands of satellites, on‑orbit compute nodes, and autonomous space systems will soon require high‑speed, secure, and scalable connectivity in space. RF links cannot keep up with the data demands of this new orbital infrastructure. Ravee Optics is building next‑generation optical communications terminals to power the future of inter‑satellite connectivity and on‑orbit data transport.