Senior R&D Optical Engineer

Wyatt Technology Corporation (WTC) is the world leader in the development and commercialization of light scattering instruments. Wyatt instruments are used in the development of life changing pharmaceuticals, Nobel Prize winning research, development and QC release of vaccine products, nanoparticle characterization, organic polymer studies, and much, much more. We make a difference in the world.

WTC is looking for an imaginative, talented, and detail oriented Optical Engineer with 4 or more years of industry experience. You will be in Research and Development, using optical skills to design solutions and systems alongside a team which includes mechanical, electrical and software engineers, physicists, and chemists. Your role will focus on improving robustness and manufacturability of existing products, including multi angle light scattering systems, dynamic light scattering base plate readers, laser Doppler velocimeters, and differential refractometers. In addition, you will be contributing to the design of new products. You will be trained to become expert both with respect to the instrument you’re developing/improving, and the scientific applications where they are used. Knowledge of the science will inform the design of the product.

Ideally you will have experience with lasers, Gaussian optics, and imaging and non-imaging optical systems. You will be familiar with standard opto-mechanical mounting, alignment, and locking strategies (for shipment around the world). You will have familiarity with optical modeling (Zemax), programming and scripting languages (C++, Python), electronics (op-amp circuits), and off the shelf data acquisition systems (~1 MHz and less, 16 – 24 bit resolution). Having been in optics for a while, you’ll know the heartache of a laser which unexpectedly oscillates, a lens with high scattering, or the unexpected places reflections and stray light can go. These are some of the challenges that you will need to overcome. As a Senior Engineer, you will also be able to mentor others, and pass along to them your hard fought lessons-learned.

In addition to design work, you will be documenting the designs with bills of materials and work instructions; managing change orders; doing what it takes to hit a schedule; working with people on the manufacturing floor to make sure they have what they need in order to make product; and fostering good communications, cooperation, and working relationships with the entire team in R&D, Mfg, Purchasing, QA, and Management. You will have a passion for designing great things, and you will enjoy working with clever people with a similar passion.

You will be working alongside a great team of engineers, chemists, physicists, and researchers on tools with a direct and positive impact in the world. You also get:

We make the best light scattering instruments anywhere.

We are consistently rated one of the best places to work for scientists and researchers.

We are a dog-friendly work place.