{"id":1604032,"url":"https://alion.io/job/snap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate","title":"Materials Engineer, Optical Substrate","company":{"id":8998,"name":"Snap","domain":"snap.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/snap","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Abingdon, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":80000,"max_usd":140000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":86},"experience_years_min":7,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":true},{"name":"Python","optional":true},{"name":"Ray","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-30T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-30","last_verified_at":"2026-10-08T21:35:09Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":9,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":9},"description":"Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.\nThe Company operates Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world, and Specs Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to making computing more human, in addition to Bitmoji, Saturn, and other digital services.\nSpecs Inc. is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Snap Inc. dedicated to making computing more human. The company develops Specs, advanced eyewear that seamlessly integrates digital experiences into the physical world.\nSpecs feature see-through lenses that place digital objects directly into three-dimensional space, powered by Snap OS, a proprietary, context-aware operating system designed for natural interaction with your hands and voice.\nSpecs Inc. also provides Lens Studio, a full suite of advanced developer tools that powers immersive augmented reality experiences across Specs, Snapchat, and other services.\nWe are looking for a Nanophotonics Engineer to develop, qualify, and scale optical materials, waveguide processes, and measurement methodologies for next-generation augmented reality devices.\nThis role combines materials qualification with optical simulation, hands-on fabrication, metrology, mechanical and reliability testing, and technical engagement with suppliers. You will work across the complete development lifecycle: defining requirements, planning experiments, fabricating and measuring samples, benchmarking results against simulations, identifying root causes, and translating findings into robust product and manufacturing decisions.\nWhat you’ll do:\nLead or support material and substrate qualification across polymers, glass, lithium niobate, silicon carbide, and other advanced optical materials;\nDefine sample requirements, test plans, acceptance criteria, and data packages for internal and external technical initiatives;\nPerform and interpret optical measurements, including transmission, reflectance, refractive index, absorption, haze, scattering, efficiency, uniformity, luminance, MTF, and FOV;\nEstablish measurement methods and evaluate metrology capability for surface roughness, flatness, scattering, visual inspection, and wafer-level optical characterization;\nPlan and execute experiments comparing optical simulations with measured performance, identifying discrepancies and closing the loop through design or process revisions;\nDevelop and refine fabrication processes, including wafer cleaning, nanoimprinting, thin-film coating, laser cutting, blackening, and waveguide stacking;\nDevelop reliability and mechanical test strategies covering flexural strength, impact and drop resistance, thermal exposure, UV weathering, humidity, dynamic fatigue, adhesion, and geometric stability;\nTranslate optical and process requirements into supplier-ready drawings, wafer layouts, mask data, cutting instructions, and technical specifications;\nCollaborate directly with material, coating, wafer, and equipment suppliers to qualify capabilities, review technical data, manage samples, and resolve process challenges;\nCoordinate cross-functional builds and trials alongside materials, process, design, manufacturing, reliability, and optical-test engineering teams;\nAnalyze experimental data, maintain rigorous technical documentation, and communicate key insights and recommendations to stakeholders and leadership.\nKnowledge, Skills, & Abilities\nStrong core fundamentals in optics, nanophotonics, mechanics, waveguide physics, or optical materials;\nProven track record of designing and executing experiments in R&D or manufacturing environments;\nAbility to correlate optical performance with material properties, process parameters, structural geometry, and measurement uncertainty;\nExceptional data analysis and problem-solving skills, with a proven capability to isolate design, process, material, and metrology variables;\nPractical expertise in optical measurement systems and experimental calibration techniques;\nDemonstrated ability to collaborate effectively across multidisciplinary teams and communicate clearly with internal stakeholders and external partners;\nHigh attention to detail in sample handling, process control, data traceability, and technical documentation.\nMinimum Qualifications\nPhD in Physics, Photonics, Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline, or 7+ years of relevant industry experience;\nHands-on experience with optical experimentation, materials characterization, photonic device development, or a related laboratory discipline;\nExperience analyzing complex experimental data and delivering technical recommendations;\nAbility to create structured test plans, document procedures, and maintain traceable experimental records;\nComfortable working hands-on with laboratory equipment and technical test samples.\nPreferred Qualifications\nExperience with waveguide optics, diffractive optics, AR/VR displays, grating couplers, or nanophotonic devices;\nExperience with optical modeling, RCWA simulations, ray tracing, or correlation of simulations to physical measurements;\nExperience with nanoimprint lithography, spin coating, thin-film deposition, wafer processing, laser cutting, or optical assembly;\nExperience characterizing refractive index, transmission, reflectance, absorption, haze, scattering, surface roughness, or flatness;\nExperience with glass, SiC, polymers, resins, hardcoats, anti-reflection coatings, or other optical materials;\nFamiliarity with optical metrology systems, spectrometers, interferometric or profilometry tools, or custom measurement equipment;\nExperience developing mechanical, environmental, or reliability tests for optical components;\nProficiency in developing and executing Finite Element Analysis (FEA) models for stress, deformation, thermal, mechanical, or reliability analysis of materials;\nProficiency in Python, MATLAB, or equivalent tools for data analysis and technical automation;\nExperience creating or reviewing CAD, DXF, wafer-layout, or supplier-manufacturing data;\nExperience working with external suppliers on technical requirements, sample plans, process development, and qualification.\nIf you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don’t be shy and provide us some information.\n\"Default Together\" Policy at Snap: At Snap Inc. we believe that being together in person helps us build our culture faster, reinforce our values, and serve our community, customers and partners better through dynamic collaboration. To reflect this, we practice a “default together” approach and expect our team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.\nAt Snap, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to create innovative products that improve the way people live and communicate. Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. EOE, including disability/vets.\nOur Benefits: Snap Inc. is its own community, so we’ve got your back! We do our best to make sure you and your loved ones have everything you need to be happy and healthy, on your own terms. Our benefits are built around your needs and include paid parental leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long-term success!","description_format":"text","description_chars":8061,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":7,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"phd","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["Parental leave"],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Sales & Marketing","Advertising"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-01T19:43:42Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"GB","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"Licensed UK visa sponsor (Senior or Specialist Worker, Skilled Worker)","filings_12m":null,"filings_prev_12m":null,"green_card_filings_12m":null,"median_offered_wage_usd":null,"route":"Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker; Skilled Worker","cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-08T06:20:15+00:00","sources":["UK Home Office: register of licensed sponsors (workers)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":42,"band":"fade","label":"Fading","p_open":1,"p_active":0.765,"p_room":0.55,"age_days":8,"expected_fill_days":7,"reasons":["conf:0","velocity","win:tail","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-08T05:49:30Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/snap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/snap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-09T00:58:26Z","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","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":1490,"day_limit":5000,"remaining_today":3510,"minute_limit":60,"resets_at":"2026-10-10T00:00:00Z"}},"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":8998},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=8998"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fsnap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate"},{"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%2Fsnap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate"},{"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%2Fsnap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate"},{"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/snap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fsnap-materials-engineer-optical-substrate"}]}