Optical Engineer Level 3

Monarch Quantum; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 125,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401(k) plan with employer match

Paid time off

Holidays

Job summary

Monarch Quantum in San Diego seeks a Senior Optical Engineer to help build our foundation from the ground up in a fast-paced startup environment. You will design, simulate, and validate optical layouts, mentor junior engineers, and collaborate with leadership.

Proficiency with Zemax, FRED, OSLO, Ansys, and Python is valued as we push cutting-edge laser technologies. This full-time role includes a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Degree in Optical Engineering, Physics or related field.
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant experience, preferably in startup/tech.
• Experience with optical design software and analytical methods.

Responsibilities

• Independently and in teams, design, simulate, and validate optical layouts.
• Mentor junior engineers and document results for peer reviews.
• Develop engineering practices to support growth and quality.

Skills

Optical design

Laser propagation

Python scripting

Parity/ABCD matrices

Gaussian beam theory

Vendor engagement

Nonlinear optimization

Education

Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering or Physics

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

FRED

OSLO

ANSYS

Job description

Join our fast-paced and passionate team as a Senior Optical Engineer. As we scale, you will be instrumental in building our foundation from the ground up. This is a dynamic, hands-on role for a self-starter who thrives in a fluid startup environment.You'llhave the opportunity to work oncutting edgetechnologies, work closely with leadership, and develop and implement engineering practices that support our mission and growth. Your key responsibilities are as follows:

• Work independently and in a team while overcommunicating with the manager, project engineer,and the teammates. Will mentor junior engineers
• Execute complex engineering tasks involving planning, preparation, data/information collection,and analysis and decision-making in a process involving peer reviews and documentation of the results.
• Use tenacity, patience, self-discipline,and passion for excellence to assure accuracy of execution schedule, data quality/integrity, conformance to company best practices, clarity in communication,and documentation
• Use every opportunity to grow competency through mentorship, curiosity, communication, exposure,and initiative

• This position requires access to export-controlled information. Employment is contingent upon the applicant being a U.S. person as defined by 8 U.S.C. § 1324b(a)(3).

Experience:

• Abachelor’s degree inOpticalEngineering,Physics, or a related field
• Minimum of5years of relevant experience, ideally within a startup or technology company.

Skills:

• Deep understanding of laser beam propagation: how optic movement and rotationimpacta beam’s near-field, far-field, beam quality, and fiber coupling efficiency
• Fluency applying ray-equivalent methods of laser propagation to guide architecture and debug layout questions
• Fluency determining the best way to answer a design problem, including combinations of design software, macros, external code, and manual calculations
• Ability to use paraxial raytracing and ABCD matrices to derive analytical expressions for trends, sensitivities, and scaling factors in various optical layouts
• Fluency in applying first-order imaging and the overlap integral of Gaussian beams to interrogate the design space of a laser module
• Understanding of howcomponentproperties impact alignment sensitivity (e.g. collimation lens focal length)
• Ability to take a novel optical design question, distill it to an algebraic method, and validatethe analysis using a second calculation method (e.g. optical design software).
• Ability to applyfirst-order imaging and the overlap integral of Gaussian beams to derive componentfabrication and alignment requirements
• Ability to derive quantitative requirements for optic prescriptions (surface roughness, scratch/dig, surface power, surface irregularity, aspheric sag error, material properties)
• Understanding of different tolerancing methods for conventionally polished, sub-aperture polished, and precision glass molded components
• Ability to engage vendors to understand capabilities and drive clarity to get quotes for components, accounting for supplier yield, risk, and schedule
• Ability to createefficient layout optimization workflows in non-sequential design software for nontrivial architectures
• Understanding of polarization components within both Jones and Mueller models
• Understanding of fiber optics for high power CW laser systems: multi-mode, single mode, polarizationmaintaining, step index, photonic crystal, endcaps
• Demonstrated successful execution of engineering tasks including use of design software (AnsysZemaxOpticStudio, Photon Engineering FRED, and/or Lambda Research OSLO preferred) and quantitative analysis/programming tools (Python), instrumentation and measurement, part fabrication or procurement, integration and test, data collection, and documentation

Startup Mindset:

• You're creative, flexible, and eager to wear multiple hats.
• You're passionate about building systems from the ground up and comfortable with ambiguity and change.

The expected annual salary range for this position is $125,000-$175,000.

As a full-time employee, you will be eligible for Monarch’s comprehensive benefits package, which includes:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Fidelity 401(k) plan with 4% employer matching
• 20 paid time off (PTO) days per year
• 13 paid company holidays
• 9/80 work schedule (every other Friday off)

Monarch Quantum is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, citizenship status, national origin, ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, age, religion, creed, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, veteran status or any other characteristics protected under applicable federal, state and local laws.