Optical Comm Researcher-Technical Staff

Position Description

The Advanced Lasercom Systems and Operations Group seeks a highly motivated, full time technical staff member to join a multi-disciplinary team focused on laser communication systems. The selected candidate will have the opportunity to be a part of one of the world’s leading laser communications groups, playing key roles in developing unique prototypes and test assets. The candidate will work with other personnel as needed, but will have the ability to work independently, coordinating with team members with complementary skills. Because of the hands-on nature of the work, this job will be primarily on-site, although exceptions may be authorized when performing tasks that can be effectively performed remotely, such as design, documentation, component research/specification/ordering, modeling and analysis.

Minimum Qualifications

• Advanced degree in physics, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, optical engineering or a related field with significant coursework or experience in optics, lasers, and/or communications systems
• At least 5 years of related experience post undergraduate degree (can include graduate school)
• Familiarity working in a research and development focused laboratory environment involving optics/photonics/laser or related work
• Familiarity with standard laboratory equipment, such as real-time scopes, sampling oscilloscopes, optical modulation analyzers, and optical and rf spectrum analyzers
• Familiarity with free-space optical alignment and characterization instrumentation such as interferometers, autocollimators, alignment telescopes, theodolites, profilometers, wavefront sensors, and high-speed infrared cameras / focal plane arrays.
• Experience with data analysis and clear visualization of laboratory results
• Experience with MATLAB® or Python
• Experience presenting results in a professional setting
• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written. Ability to work well in a team.

Preferred Qualifications

• Ph.D. in physics, aerospace engineering, electrical engineering, optical engineering or a related field with significant coursework or experience in optics, lasers, and/or communications systems
• Familiarity working in a laboratory environment with laser communications hardware or components, and has familiarity with fiber optic test equipment and components
• Experience with systems analysis trades between rf and optical communications, and performing architecture studies based on state-of-the-art technology
• Familiarity with communications systems including capacity limits, modulation formats, receiver techniques (incoherent and coherent), and digital signal processing techniques
• Familiarity with some subset of the following disciplines is advantageous but not required:
• Stray light modeling / FRED software
• Integration & test
• Test automation
• Optical test equipment
• Communications system fundamentals
• Optical communications simulation software
• Numerical simulation and analysis tools
• Scripting languages
• Atmospheric science

Benefits

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs
• Mentorship programs
• A range of work-life balance options

Disclaimer

MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including—but not limited to—the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.