Optical Scientist - AR Systems

At Reality Labs, our goal is to make beyond-state-of-the-art consumer virtual, augmented, and mixed reality experiences. Come work alongside world leading scientists and engineers to create the technology that makes VR and AR pervasive and universal. Join the adventure of a lifetime as we make science fiction real and change the world. The Optics, Photonics, and Light Systems (OPALS) Research group is looking for an Optical Scientist with a focus for innovation in novel near-eye display technology. We are seeking a scientist to conceptualize, design and model advanced immersive AR display components, systems and architectures. We are looking for a scientist who brings first-principles understanding of geometric, diffractive and holographic optical technologies. And will be excited to develop novel high performance simulation, optimization and analysis algorithms for advanced optical and photonic device systems in a highly cross-functional and robust environment.

Optical Scientist - AR Systems Responsibilities:

• Optical design and modeling of component technology landscape for near-eye display combiners.
• Optical design and analysis at the display-system level performance landscape for near-eye display architectures.
• Contribute to improvement of design methodologies and workflow including playing an integral role in the planning of new algorithms and advancing simulation and optimization capabilities for potential products and technologies.
• Collaborate with diverse teams and scientists with specialties in Computation, Optics, Chemistry, Materials Science, Process Development, and Integration to identify gaps and opportunities for innovative design, modeling and optimization methodologies or tools to overcome existing limitations.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Computer Engineering, relevant technical field, or equivalent practical experience.
• PhD degree or equivalent experience in the field of Optical Sciences, Physics, Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• 3 years experience in optical design using standard design software such as Lumerical, Virtual Lab, FRED, LightTools, Zemax, or CODE V.
• 3 years experience in scientific programming and data analysis tools (e.g. MATLAB, Python, C , etc.).
• 3 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.
• 3 years experience with electromagnetic modeling and analysis of nanoscale structures, anisotropic materials, non-linear materials, switchable materials or holographic elements.
• 3 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 design and modeling for applied research and/or product development of geometric or holographic or diffractive waveguide-based near-to-eye display systems w/ coherent and incoherent light sources.
• 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.
• 10 years experience in using machine learning or neural-networks for novel nano-optics design.
• 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, etc.
• 10 years of experience in optical metrology tools such as interferometry, image quality testing, and polarization test.

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.