Postdoctoral Research Associate I (UPDATED)

Duties & Responsibilities

• Design and implement optical metrology systems (e.g., interferometry, profilometry, wavefront sensing)
• Develop algorithms for optical metrology, including phase retrieval, surface reconstruction, and error analysis
• Perform high-accuracy measurement and quantitative characterization of optical surfaces and components
• Build data processing pipelines for metrology, including automation and statistical analysis
• Support optical system validation, alignment, and performance testing
• Collaborate with interdisciplinary teams and contribute to publications

Minimum Qualifications

• Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Optics, or related field upon hire
• Strong background in optical metrology (e.g., interferometry, surface characterization, wavefront sensing)
• Hands-on experience with optical instrumentation and experimental methods
• Strong experience in data analysis and modeling
• Demonstrated track record of peer-reviewed publications

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with precision optical fabrication methods (e.g., diamond turning, polishing)
• Experience with freeform or aspheric optics characterization
• Experience with optical system alignment and performance evaluation
• Demonstrate knowledge of error budgeting and tolerance analysis
• Experience with integrating metrology into fabrication or system development workflow

Benefits

Outstanding U of A benefits include health, dental, vision, and life insurance; paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays; U of A/ASU/NAU tuition reduction for the employee and qualified family members; access to U of A recreation and cultural activities; and more!