Optical Scientist - DSR
- Location
- Redmond, WA · On-site
- Job type
- Full-time
- Level
- Senior
- Experience
- 8+ years
- Education
- Doctorate
- Listed
- 28 days ago
Skills & highlights for this role
- Lumerical
- Zemax
- MATLAB
- wave and ray optics
- nano-photonics fabrication
Also useful
- machine learning for nano-optics
- interferometry
About the role
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- Optical Scientist - DSR
- Optical Scientist - DSR
- Redmond, WA
- Engineering
- + 2 more
At Meta Reality Labs, we build world-class consumer virtual, augmented, and mixed reality experiences. You'll work alongside leading scientists and engineers on the technology that will make AR and VR pervasive — turning science fiction into products people use every day.
The Advanced Photonics group within Display Systems Research (DSR) is hiring an Optical Scientist to push nano-photonics research toward wearable AR systems that enable advanced perceptual capabilities. In this role you will conceptualize, design, build, and validate immersive display, sensing, and optical-compute components and architectures.
We're looking for someone with a first-principles understanding of nano-photonic devices — metastructures, optical computation, and visible/IR photonic integrated circuits — who is equally comfortable developing the simulation, optimization, and validation methods those devices demand, in a highly cross-functional and fast-moving environment.
Optical Scientist - DSR Responsibilities
- Design and model component technologies and system architectures for near-eye display combiners, novel sensors, and optical compute
- Advance our design methodologies and workflows, including strategic planning of new algorithms and expansion of simulation and optimization capabilities for future technologies and products
- Partner with scientists and engineers across computation, optics, chemistry, materials science, process development, and integration to identify gaps and opportunities, and to build the design, modeling, and optimization tools that overcome current limitations
Minimum Qualifications
- PhD degree or equivalent experience in the field of Optical Sciences, Physics, Electrical Engineering or a related field
- 8+ years experience in optical design using standard design software such as Lumerical, Virtual Lab, FRED, LightTools, Zemax, or CODE V
- 8+ years experience in scientific programming and data analysis tools (e.g. MATLAB, Python, C++, etc.)
- 8+ years experience with methods of light propagation both in wave and ray domains as well as mixed models and familiarity with local and global optimization algorithm development
- Experience with wave optics, geometric optics, polarization, and coherence
- 8+ years experience with electromagnetic modeling and analysis of nanoscale structures, anisotropic materials, non-linear materials, switchable materials or holographic elements
- 8+ years of experience in fabrication and functional testing of novel photonic devices such as metastructures, photonic integrated circuits, holographic elements, diffractive, and refractive structures
Preferred Qualifications
- 10+ years of experience in optical metrology tools such as interferometry, image quality testing, etc
- 10+ years of experience in design, fabrication and testing of novel optical structures such as active or passive metastructures, holographic elements, sub-wavelength diffractive structures, beam steering elements, novel sensors, optical compute, etc
- 10+ years experience in using machine learning or deep neural networks for novel nano-optics design
- 10+ years experience in working with electromagnetic theory, modeling optical structures and building software tools for simulation work on distributed systems and parallel computing infrastructure
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About Meta
Meta builds technologies that help people connect, find communities, and grow businesses. When Facebook launched in 2004, it changed the way people connect. Apps like Messenger, Instagram and WhatsApp further empowered billions around the world. Now, Meta is moving beyond 2D screens toward immersive experiences like augmented and virtual reality to help build the next evolution in social technology.
People who choose to build their careers by building with us at Meta help shape a future that will take us beyond what digital connection makes possible today—beyond the constraints of screens, the limits of distance, and even the rules of physics.
For those who live in or expect to work from California if hired for this position, please click here for additional information.
United States of America: $184,000/year to $257,000/year + bonus + equity + benefits
Individual compensation is determined by skills, qualifications, experience, and location. Compensation details listed in this posting reflect the base hourly rate, monthly rate, or annual salary only, and do not include bonus, equity or sales incentives, if applicable. In addition to base compensation, Meta offers benefits. Learn more about benefits at Meta.
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From Meta's careers page, first listed on Rolev.ai on October 12, 2026. Rolev.ai is not the employer.
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Where is the Optical Scientist - DSR job at Meta located?
This Optical Scientist - DSR position at Meta is located in Redmond, WA (On-site). Always check Meta's application page for specific state eligibility or relocation policies.
What qualifications are required for Optical Scientist - DSR at Meta?
For the Optical Scientist - DSR role, Meta highlights 8+ years of relevant experience; a doctorate; experience with Lumerical, Zemax, MATLAB, wave and ray optics, nano-photonics fabrication. Rolev.ai can score your existing resume against these requirements and show any skill gaps before you apply.
How do I apply for the Optical Scientist - DSR position at Meta?
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