{"id":383786,"url":"https://alion.io/job/mks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer","title":"Principal Laser Engineer","company":{"id":1042866,"name":"MKS","domain":"mks.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/mks-6","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":83,"open_postings":24,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.667,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":36,"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"}},"role":"Semiconductors","role_family":"Semiconductors","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["Milpitas, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":139000,"max":231000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":231000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":true,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true},{"name":"Ray","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-06-22T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-06-22","last_verified_at":"2026-11-01T13:59:51Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":132,"trust":{"level":"stale","repost_count":0,"flags":["stale"],"days_open":132},"description":"A Day in Your Life at MKS:\nSpectra-Physics is the Lasers Business Unit of MKS Instruments. We have an excellent opportunity for someone like you to join our innovative product development engineering team as a Principal Laser Engineer. In this position, you will build prototypes and contribute to the optical design of free-space and fiber-based laser systems. You will work interactively within a project team and use your excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional team members. We push the boundaries of technology to develop a wide range of nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond lasers that address the needs of Industrial, Scientific, and Life and Health markets. If you have a passion for working with cutting-edge laser systems, this is the role for you.\nYou Will Make an Impact By:\nServe as a technical expert for the optical design of fiber-based and free space lasers. Execute experiments to test conceptual designs and to document optical system performance. Use software computational tools to aid in the design and analysis of optical system performance. Work with mechanical and electrical engineers to assist in evaluating and documenting opto-mechanical and electro-optical specifications\n\nDefine test strategies, build, test and document system prototypes: measure optical and opto-electronic parameters and evaluate results, create test reports and generate design documentation including optical diagrams, drawings, and optical components specifications\n\nWork with optical component vendors for component procurement, and to complete performance and reliability evaluation\n\nWork in a multi-disciplinary team and interact with Electrical, Mechanical, Software and Manufacturing Engineers on new product development and to transfer the design to production\n\nGuide and train technicians on newly developed processes and optical measurement techniques\n\nSkills You Bring:\nMS degree in Engineering, Physics, Material Science, Chemistry, or a related field required and 5+ years industry experience or PhD and 2+ years industry experience\n\nHands-on experience withpassive and activefibers and fiber-opticscomponents, including fiber preparation and splicing andcomponentscharacterization\n\nIn-depth knowledge of various fiber types, their advantages and disadvantages, and typical use. Experience in making proper fiberand fiber component selectionfor different applications\n\nHands-on experience in free-space beam and optical cavity alignment\n\nExperience with Gaussian beam propagation software tools\n\nFamiliar with optical non-linear processes (SHG, SPM, SBS, Raman etc.)\n\nFamiliar with sub-picosecond pulse generation, measurement and characterization\n\nHands-on experience with operating and characterizing acousto-optic and electro-optic modulators and pulse selectors\n\nProven ability to independently define opto-electronic measurement procedures, set up and perform the measurements, evaluate the results and clearly communicate the conclusions to peer engineers and management\n\nProven experience with optical measurement instruments: beam parameters analyzers, power meters, auto-correlators, fast opto-electronics, oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers and spectrometers, scanning interferometers\n\nPreferred Skills:\nExperience in troubleshooting and failure analysis of optical modules and systems \nExperience with high power pulsed fiber laser design and testing. \nExperience with harmonic generation and nonlinear crystals (SHG, THG, SFG)\nExperience with external-cavity tunable diode lasers\nHands-on experience with ultra-fast laser development and relevant technologies (mode-locking, CPA, etc.) and characterization (auto-correlator/FROG)\nAbility to model basic harmonic generation processes using SNLO, Matlab and/or other suitable software tools\nFamiliarity with ray-tracing analysis software (ZEMAX, FRED and/or others) \nExperience with automated measurement and control methods (Python)\nWe are interested in a qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we will not be sponsoring work visas for this position, at this time.\nCompensation and Benefits:\nSalary Pay Range: $139,000 to $231,000 per year. This range is a good faith estimate of the expected salary range for this position, based on a wide range of factors including qualifications, experience and training, operational and business needs and other considerations permitted by law. At MKS, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role.\nBonus: This position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, in an amount to be determined by MKS [or as applicable].\nBenefits: MKS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental and vision), 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, 12 paid holidays, sick time, 15 paid vacation days, [6 weeks fully paid] parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement [and for participation in any stock programs, signing bonus, etc.].\nMKS is an equal opportunity employer, including disability, veteran status and all categories protected by law. Please review our EOE statements for additional details.\nMKS will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers.\nGlobally, our policy is to recruit individuals from wide and diverse backgrounds. However, certain positions require access to controlled goods and technologies subject to the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) or Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Applicants for these positions may need to be “U.S. persons.” “U.S. persons” are generally defined as U.S. citizens, noncitizen nationals, lawful permanent residents (or, green card holders), individuals granted asylum, and individuals admitted as refugees.\nMKS Inc. and its affiliates and subsidiaries (“MKS”) is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer: diverse candidates are encouraged to apply. We win as a team and are committed to recruiting and hiring qualified applicants regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions), religion, age, ancestry, physical or mental disability or handicap, marital status, membership in the uniformed services, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other category protected by applicable law. Hiring decisions are based on merit, qualifications and business needs. We conduct background checks and drug screens, in accordance with applicable law and company policies.MKS is generally only hiring candidates who reside in states where we are registered to do business.\nMKS is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need a reasonable accommodation during the application or interview process due to a disability, please contact us at: .\nIf applying for a specific job, please include the requisition number (ex: RXXXX), the title and location of the role","description_format":"text","description_chars":7190,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":5,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"master","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Health insurance","Insurance coverage","Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Lasers & Laser Systems","Chemical Manufacturing","Semiconductor Equipment"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-09-05T22:15:59Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":9,"band":"cold","label":"Long shot","p_open":1,"p_active":0.314,"p_room":0.28,"age_days":132,"expected_fill_days":36,"reasons":["conf:2","stale_co","velocity","win:tail","crowd:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-01T06:10:25Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":231000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/mks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/mks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-01T23:04:01Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":35116,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-02T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1042866},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1042866"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fmks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fmks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fmks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/mks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fmks-instruments-principal-laser-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":383786}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"mks.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":383786},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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