Staff/Principal Laser Development Engineer

Sciton; Palo Alto (CA); On-site; USD 220,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity/Stock incentive programs

Profit-sharing bonus

401(k) with matching

Job summary

Sciton is seeking a Staff/Principal Laser Development Engineer in Palo Alto to lead development of high-power pulsed solid-state lasers for medical devices. You will own resonator architecture, thermal management, and beam delivery while coordinating across engineering disciplines.

You will apply deep optics expertise to push innovations from concept to high-volume production, interacting with suppliers and contributing to equity programs.

Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering (optical emphasis) or related.
• 10+ years designing high-power pulsed solid-state lasers and bringing products to production.

Responsibilities

• Lead design and validation of flashlamp-pumped and diode-pumped solid-state laser resonators (Er:YAG, Nd:YAG).
• Perform optical ray tracing, thermal lensing modeling, cavity stability analysis, and pump-cavity optimization.
• Design beam delivery with fibers, articulated arms, and ophthalmic/medical handpieces.
• Assemble and test breadboard/prototype lasers and verify against requirements.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and software teams for integration into compact medical systems.
• Engage suppliers and vendors for critical components and tolerances.

Skills

Laser physics

Beam delivery design

Optical simulation

High-power lasers

Team collaboration

Education

PhD in Optics/Physics/Eng

10+ years industry experience

Tools

Zemax

FRED

LASCAD

MATLAB/Python

COMSOL

Job description

Position: Staff/Principal Laser Development Engineer

Location: Palo Alto, CA

Job Id: 597

# of Openings: 1

Staff/Principal Laser Development Engineer

Sciton is a Silicon Valley-based pioneer in laser, light, and energy technologies for aesthetic and medical applications. Our engineers helped bring laser products to market just a few years after lasers were first invented, and that same spirit of innovation still drives us today.

We are built on a strong set of values: Selflessness, Candor, Innovation, Execution, Objectivity, Excellence, Learning, Ownership, and Clarity. With more than 500 employees worldwide, Sciton has been recognized as a USA TODAY Top Workplace for three consecutive years from 2022 to 2025.

If you want to work on meaningful technology that directly improves patient outcomes and be part of a company that values curiosity, ownership, and excellence, we would love to meet you.

Position Overview

In this senior technical leadership role, you will apply deep domain expertise in both lamp-pumped and diode-pumped solid-state (DPSS) lasers to drive innovation from early-stage physical concepts through system integration and high-volume manufacturing. You will own the physics, optical cavity architecture, thermal management, and optical beam delivery design for high-power pulsed laser systems that power Sciton’s industry-leading clinical devices.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead the concept, design, and experimental validation of novel flashlamp-pumped and diode-pumped solid-state laser resonators (e.g., Er:YAG and Nd:YAG).
• Perform detailed optical ray tracing, thermal lensing modeling, cavity stability analysis, and pump cavity efficiency optimization.
• Create and validate optical designs for beam delivery using fibers and articulated arms, handpieces with beam-shaping and imaging optics, laser photometry, and computer vision systems.
• Build, align, and characterize breadboard and prototype laser systems and verify performance relative to product requirements.
• Collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, and software engineers to integrate lasers and optical systems into compact, ergonomically optimized medical systems.
• Engage with optical component suppliers, crystal growers, laser diode manufacturers, and flashlamp vendors to specify custom components, review tolerances, and establish critical supply chains.

Education & Experience

• Ph.D. in Optics, Physics, Physical Chemistry, Electrical Engineering (with optical emphasis), or a closely related discipline.
• 10+ years of direct industry experience designing, building, and commercializing high-power or high-energy pulsed solid-state lasers.

Qualifications:

• Deep mastery of laser resonator theory, thermal lens compensation, non-linear optics, optical system design, crystal kinematics, and laser-tissue interactions.
• Advanced proficiency in optical simulation tools (Zemax / FRED / LASCAD) and numerical modeling tools (Mathematica/ MATLAB / Python / COMSOL) or equivalents.
• Strong hands-on expertise with high-power laser diagnostics: beam profilers, beam quality (M2), optical spectrum analyzers, fast photodiodes, energy meters, and high-bandwidth oscilloscopes.
• Proven track record of taking complex laser designs through concept phase to high-reliability production.
• Excellent teamwork and communication skills.

Compensation and Benefits:

The salary range for this position is $220k - $260k. In addition to a competitive, market-based salary, Sciton offers the opportunity to participate in equity/stock incentive programs, a profit-sharing bonus, and a comprehensive benefits package, including a 401(k) with matching.