Senior R&D Engineer: Optical Materials & Fibers

Lightera; Norcross (GA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental benefits

Tuition reimbursement

401(k) matching

Job summary

Lightera, a Norcross, GA-based leader in optical fibers and connectivity solutions, seeks a Senior R&D Engineer for materials. You will research, develop, and optimize silica glass materials, characterization methods, and production processes, collaborating across manufacturing, quality, and product teams to drive innovations and scalable production.

Responsibilities include evaluating new materials, conducting experiments, and implementing improvements to enhance product quality, yield, and

Qualifications

• B.S./M.S./Ph.D. in relevant field with multiple years of experience
• Deep understanding of optics, electromagnetics, material characterization and simulations
• Hands-on experience with characterization techniques such as FTIR, UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy, SEM, ICP-MS, XRF
• Hands-on experience building test equipment and automating test procedures
• Proficiency in Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, and R/JMP for data analysis and scripting
• Proficiency in simulating physical phenomena using Python/MATLAB
• Experience with DOE or Six Sigma methodologies preferred
• Database or SQL experience to manage and analyze large datasets
• Advance measurement techniques to develop/optimize characterization methods
• Lab work to support product and process development
• Automation and data analysis using Python, R/JMP, MATLAB, LabVIEW
• Cross-functional collaboration with global teams
• Mentorship of junior engineers
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
• Self-motivation and high integrity
• Safety-focused and compliant with company policies

Responsibilities

• Research, develop, and optimize silica glass materials and related characterization techniques
• Collaborate with manufacturing, quality, and product teams to translate technologies into scalable processes
• Evaluate new materials, conduct experiments, and analyze performance to improve product quality and yield
• Develop and implement improved manufacturing processes for cost effectiveness
• Build and automate test procedures to accelerate development and validation

Skills

Python

MATLAB

LabVIEW

R/JMP

SQL

DOE

Six Sigma

Data analysis

Scripting languages

Statistical analysis

Education

B.S. with 8+ years

M.S. with 6+ years

Ph.D. in Materials Science/Physics/Engineering

Tools

FTIR

UV/Vis/NIR spectroscopy

SEM

ICP-MS

XRF

Job description

Lightera, a Norcross, GA-based leader in optical fibers and connectivity solutions, seeks a Senior R&D Engineer for materials. You will research, develop, and optimize silica glass materials, characterization methods, and production processes, collaborating across manufacturing, quality, and product teams to drive innovations and scalable production.

Responsibilities include evaluating new materials, conducting experiments, and implementing improvements to enhance product quality, yield, and