Staff Scientist, Optical Physics

Scope of Position

The candidate is responsible for advancing through modeling and simulation the fundamental understanding of optical phenomena and interaction of light with various materials, in support of Corning products and manufacturing processes. The candidate must have an in-depth knowledge of optical physics, with expertise in mathematical methods and numerical computations. The candidate should be knowledgeable of optical modeling methods, including ray-tracing and wave-optics. Ideally the candidate should have relevant industrial experience in designing optical components, modules or systems. As a subject matter expert and thought leader, the candidate will have the opportunities to propose and lead research initiatives, collaborate with multidisciplinary and cross-functional teams, and drive technological advancement and new scientific discovery to support current and future business in optical communications. 

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Develop theoretical understanding and implement models in close conjunction with experiments, to research the fundamentals of optical phenomena in glass components, textured surfaces, thin film structures, and optical devices.
• Analyze optical physics application problems, propose and implement models to identify potential solutions, define suitable operating conditions, and optimize designs.
• Propose and develop measurement techniques to obtain the necessary information to accurately model the system of interest.
• Developing tools and concepts in anticipation of future state of technology, as well as provide support for business requests.
• Validate modeling results with measured data by collaborating with experimentalists.
• Participate in multidisciplinary projects, provide input based on modeling and interpret the results to address real-world problems.
• Document critical results in technical reports and patent applications.

Required Education and Experience

• PhD in optical sciences, physics, or closely related discipline
• 3+ years of experience in optical physics modeling and simulation.
• Broad knowledge of optics, experience with simulations of optical systems using raytracing and wave-propagation methods.
• Modeling of display system optical components, such as backlight units, LCD and OLED panels, and emissive display elements.
• Experience in modeling scattering of light in optical systems and components.
• Sound understanding of numerical techniques, such as finite element and finite-difference time-domain methods.
• Experience in scientific computing and code development.
• Working experience with industry-standard numerical simulation tools used in optical modeling, e.g. LightTools, Zemax, Lumerical, Comsol, Rsoft.

Desired Skills

• Modeling of light management and light extraction in emissive display panels.
• Working knowledge of computational physics and mathematical algorithms.
• Strong programming skills in Python, Matlab, C/C++.
• Familiarity with software engineering practices, version control, test suites.
• Knowledge of Linux operating system.