Laser Engineer - Manufacturing

Responsibilities

• Install, align, and commission laser sources, amplifiers, and associated stabilization hardware from approved designs; verify optical, electrical, cooling, and control interfaces.

• Set up and tune frequency and intensity stabilization; verify lock acquisition, stability, and recovery using approved methods.

• Measure optical power, frequency stability, linewidth and noise where required, beam quality, and polarization; compare results with agreed laser acceptance and SI&T handoff criteria.

• Diagnose loss of lock, power drift, coupling degradation, thermal sensitivity, and interface faults; work with Laser Engineering, controls, and subsystem teams on approved corrections.

• Develop acceptance tests and controlled work instructions with Manufacturing Engineering for setup, alignment, calibration, and routine maintenance; use test automation where practical.

• Maintain serial-number, configuration, calibration, and test records; document non-conformance and corrective actions.

• Support system integration and laser hardware corrections during QE testing. QEs own verification with atoms and final technical acceptance.

• Follow laser-safety, interlock, and contamination-control practices; coordinate technical support and repairs with laser suppliers.

Experience & Education

• BS in physics, optical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related discipline, or equivalent relevant experience; advanced degree preferred.

• 3+ years of hands-on experience commissioning, stabilizing, characterizing, and troubleshooting precision laser systems.

• Experience transferring precision optical or scientific hardware from development into repeat builds preferred.

Qualifications

• Practical experience with laser frequency or intensity stabilization, feedback control, and fault diagnosis.

• Hands-on free-space alignment, polarization control, fiber coupling, and handling of precision optical components.

• Proficiency with laser diagnostics such as wavemeters, photodiodes, optical power meters, oscilloscopes, and optical or RF spectrum analyzers.

• Ability to interpret optical layouts, electrical schematics, control interfaces, and test data; careful documentation and clear communication with engineers, physicists, and technicians.

• Experience with diode or fiber lasers, optical amplifiers, nonlinear frequency conversion, or atomic, molecular, and optical (AMO) or neutral-atom hardware preferred.

• Python or equivalent tools for instrument control and data analysis preferred.