Research Scientist Intern, Optical Engineering (PhD)

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with researchers and cross-functional partners including communicating research plans, progress, and results
• Publish research results and contribute to research that can be applied to Meta product development
• Develop next generation AR/VR displays with an emphasis on advanced simulations and prototyping to prove new concepts and understand the perceptual impact of those concepts
• Collaborate with larger Meta Reality Labs Research team to explore novel solution space for AR/VR devices
• Explore the application of at least one of the following: geometrical optics, diffraction optics, polarization optics, illumination, optical system design
• This position will have an emphasis of advanced simulations and prototyping to prove new concepts and the perceptual impact of those concepts

Minimum Qualifications

• Currently has or is in the process of obtaining a Ph.D. degree in Optical Science, Optical Engineering, Opto-Mechanics, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Computational Imaging or relevant technical field
• Must obtain work authorization in country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
• Experience in at least one of the following areas of optical research: geometry optics, aberration theory, optical system prototyping
• Experience with lens design in optical design programs such as Zemax OpticStudio, Code V or similar
• Experience with scientific programming languages (e.g., MATLAB, Python, and Mathematica)
• Intent to return to degree program after the completion of the internship/co-op

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in freeform optics
• Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as first-authored publications at leading workshops or conferences such as JOSA, SPIE, OSA, IEEE, CLEO, or similar
• Demonstrated ongoing AI skill development (e.g., prompt/context engineering, agent orchestration) and staying current with emerging AI technologies
• Experience in system-level prototyping work, including hands-on prototyping of bench-top optical components
• Experience adhering to and implementing responsible, ethical AI practices (e.g., risk assessment, bias mitigation, quality and accuracy reviews)
• Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as first-authored publications at leading workshops or conferences
• Experience working and communicating cross-functionally in a team environment
• Demonstrated ability to integrate AI tools to optimize/redesign workflows and drive measurable impact (e.g., efficiency gains, quality improvements)

Pay

$7,313/month to $12,667/month + 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.