Photonics Research Scientist

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If this sounds like the choice you want to make, then choose MITRE - and make a difference with us. Department Summary: MITRE Lab's Quantum Information Sciences, Optics, and Imaging Department serves as a vanguard for MITRE to meet the future needs of our customers, requiring technical excellence while encouraging creativity and fostering interests in current and emerging technologies across its diverse employees. Your future colleagues are a collegial team from diverse technical backgrounds who work across MITRE's sponsors and partners. Roles & Responsibilities: The MITRE Corporation is seeking a highly motivated research scientist with experience and interest in the field of photonic integrated circuits (PICs). Research projects focus on developing photonics hardware for applications including light-based sensing, artificial intelligence hardware, and quantum information processing. Other applications such as directed energy and optical communications may also emerge in MITRE's dynamic work environment, which encourages creativity and requires keeping pace with state-of-the-art technologies and practices. The work will involve optical simulations, PIC hardware design, testing and evaluation of bare die, and full photonic systems integration. The candidate will work in the public interest to provide technical expertise in solving our sponsors' critical missions involving optics and photonics. * The candidate will design integrated photonics components and work with foundries to fabricate PIC hardware for specific applications. * The candidate will develop physics models for simulation of photonics devices and systems. * The candidate will perform hardware testing in MITRE's photonics and quantum labs, evaluating novel device performance under various conditions. * The candidate will contribute to peer-reviewed journal publications. * The candidate will contribute to analysis of various photonics systems, evaluating bottlenecks, opportunities, and risks to adopting PICs for relevant missions and provide recommendations to our sponsors. Basic Qualifications: * Typically requires a minimum of 5 years of related experience with a Bachelor's degree; or 3 years and a Master's degree; or a PhD with relevant experience who can immediately contribute at this job step; or equivalent combination of related education and work experience. * Training and understanding of optical physics, semiconductor physics, quantum physics, cleanroom fabrication processes, and/or laser systems & metrology. * Familiarity with laboratory work on optical and/or chip-scale systems, such as research, development, and testing. * Strong technical writing and oral presentation skills. * The ability to conduct research and analysis in a collaborative environment. * The ability to think critically and be proactive in pursuing research and problem-solving with minimal supervision. * Must be U.S. citizen in order to obtain and maintain a Secret security clearance with additional accesses. * This position requires a minimum of 4 days a week on-site Preferred Qualifications: * Experience with PIC design software such as GDS Factory. * Experience with 3D optical simulation software such as ANSYS Lumerical, COMSOL, Meep etc. * Experience with experimental techniques involved in testing bare-die silicon photonics, including: * Electronic probing * Optical fiber array I/O and fiber components * Wafer cleaving and handling * Wire bonding * Use of profilometry and metrology tools * Experience with free-space quantum sensing systems such as nitrogen vacancies, Rydbergs, squeezed light etc. * Experience with artificial neural network algorithms and neuromorphic architectures. * Secret or Top Secret security clearance. * Operational experience (DoD, DHS, IC, etc.) applying advanced technology, including fielded systems, C2/ISR, cyber/EW, autonomy/AI/ML, sensor fusion, or rapid prototyping-to-deployment. This requisition requires the candidate to have a minimum of the following clearance(s): None This requisition requires the hired candidate to have or obtain, within one year from the date of hire, the following clearance(s): Secret Salary compensation range and midpoint: $126,800 - $158,500 - $190,200 Annual Work Location Type: Onsite It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability. Commitment to Non-Discrimination All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to disability, status as a protected veteran or any other status protected by applicable federal, state, local or international law. MITRE intends to maintain a website that is fully accessible to all individuals. 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Created: 2026-04-02