COMPANY OVERVIEW:
AOSense, Inc. is the leading developer and manufacturer of innovative quantum technologies employing atom optics. Our devices use frequency-stabilized lasers and atoms in a vacuum cell to measure accelerations, rotations, magnetic fields, and time with unparalleled accuracy and stability. Our staff includes physicists and engineers with expertise covering a wide array of disciplines. Our teams are dynamic and fast paced since our hardware is cutting edge.
POSITION SUMMARY:
We are seeking an R&D engineer who specializes in compact and robust mechanical and optical design, assembly, and testing. As a hands-on R&D Engineer at AOSense, you will work with physicists and engineers to develop and test high-performance, fieldable accelerometers, gyroscopes, gravimeters, atomic clocks, frequency standards, and magnetometers.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
- Collaborate with physicists and engineers to rapidly iterate designs and prototypes
- Work with electrical, mechanical, and optical engineers to create, assemble, and test complex sensor and clock hardware
- Procure mechanical and optical components
- Coordinate component and subsystem fabrication and assembly
- Assemble and test vacuum systems
- Align lasers through single-mode optical fibers and through bulk electro-optic and acousto-optic devices
- Collaborate with electrical engineers to define, document, and implement PCB test plans
- Build and test prototype circuits and test fixtures
- Procure and maintain mechanical and optical test equipment
- Report results of validation testing
Requirements
- Demonstrated success in building complex optomechanical prototypes and products
- Willingness to become an expert at new fabrication disciplines
- Hands-on experience with precision test equipment
- Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills
- Applicants should thrive in a dynamic environment
- U.S. Government contracts require applicants to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents
DESIRED EXPERIENCE:
- Skilled in mechanical prototyping, including basic machining and finishing operations
- Hands-on experience with vacuum system design, assembly, and testing
- Expertise in aligning and securing micro-optics components
- Basic understanding of Gaussian beam optics
- Experience with optical testing of polarization, wavefront flatness, reflectivity, optical phase shifts, beam aberrations, etc.
- Operational familiarity with laser frequency stabilization
- Skilled in electrical prototyping, including PCB fabrication, assembly, soldering, and rework
- Experience testing low-noise analog, mixed-signal, and rf electronics
- Basic knowledge of data acquisition and simulation software such as MATLAB, LabVIEW, Visual Basic, Python, and C or C++
- Experience with mechanical and optical design software (e.g., SolidWorks, COMSOL, ANSYS, Zemax, and FRED)
- Familiarity with OrCAD/Altium schematic capture and PCB layout
- Experience developing flight-qualified hardware
- Hands-on experience with optical test equipment
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Bachelor’s degree in physics or engineering, or equivalent professional experience, with experience in an R&D environment
Benefits
- Salary depends on qualifications and experience
- Medical and dental
- Retirement
- Stock plan
AOSense is an equal opportunity employer (EOE) and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran or disability status, or any other federal, state or local protected class.
AOSense is committed to providing equal employment opportunity to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you are disabled and require special assistance or a reasonable accommodation while seeking employment with AOSense, then please contact us via email at [email protected] or call (408) 735-9500 x210
Skills Required
- Demonstrated success in building complex optomechanical prototypes and products
- Willingness to become an expert at new fabrication disciplines
- Hands-on experience with precision test equipment
- Excellent analytical and troubleshooting skills
- U.S. citizenship or permanent residency (required for U.S. Government contracts)
- Bachelor's degree in physics or engineering or equivalent professional experience in an R&D environment
- Mechanical prototyping including basic machining and finishing operations
- Vacuum system design, assembly, and testing
- Aligning and securing micro-optics components
- Basic understanding of Gaussian beam optics
- Optical testing (polarization, wavefront flatness, reflectivity, phase shifts, beam aberrations)
- Operational familiarity with laser frequency stabilization
- Electrical prototyping including PCB fabrication, assembly, soldering, and rework
- Experience testing low-noise analog, mixed-signal, and RF electronics
- Basic knowledge of MATLAB, LabVIEW, Visual Basic, Python, C, C++
- Experience with SolidWorks, COMSOL, ANSYS, Zemax, FRED
- Familiarity with OrCAD or Altium schematic capture and PCB layout
- Experience developing flight-qualified hardware
- Hands-on experience with optical test equipment
What We Do
AOSense, Inc. is a leading developer and manufacturer of quantum technologies. We build systems and sub-components including atom optic devices for precision navigation, gravity measurement, timekeeping and quantum computing. Our capabilities include gyroscopes, accelerometers, inertial measurement units (IMUs), gravimeters, gravity gradiometers, and atomic frequency standards. A variety of quantum technologies such as computing, magnetometry and quantum communication benefit from our development of sub-components such as compact and stable laser systems, atom sources, and a variety of hardware. AOSense was formed in 2004 by Brenton Young and Mark Kasevich to spin-off innovative research developed at Stanford University, joined by Jim Spilker as Chairman. In 2006, AOSense was awarded its first prime contract from DARPA to design, build, and test a gravity gradiometer and single axis accelerometer/gyroscope. Since then, AOSense has successfully designed and built state-of-the-art cold atom technology for numerous government sponsored programs funded by DARPA, Air Force, Army, Navy, NASA, NSF, DTRA, and the intelligence community. AOSense is an employee-owned company.
