Electrical / Physics Engineer Advanced Imaging

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Electrical / Physics Engineer Advanced Imaging

The Advanced Imager Technology Group develops imaging platforms that enable impactful national security capabilities and scientific discovery. From fundamental device research to developing camera technology for fielded systems, our group covers the full technology development spectrum from concept to prototype. Research areas include novel imager and detector design with in-house silicon and compound semiconductor microfabrication facilities, leading-edge integrated circuit design, and advanced packaging and 3D integration capabilities. Examples of our technology include large-format focal planes, high-speed imagers, time-of-arrival detectors (LADAR receivers), and low-light-level imagers. The group's efforts span the range of device and materials development, integrated circuit design and fabrication, custom packaging, detector hybridization, and the development of control and readout electronics for system-level demonstrations.

Job Overview

MIT Lincoln Laboratory Technical Staff provide critical through expert multi-domain or new-domain innovative research supporting the Laboratory’s national security mission. They prototype state-of-the-art technology solutions and engage across the program lifecycle, leading projects or major/multiple technical workstreams in partnership with project, program and team/Group leaders. As a Technical Staff member, you will lead complex technical efforts requiring deep expertise, sound judgment, with the ability to successfully navigate technical complexity. Depending on the level, you will lead projects, major workstreams, complex programs, multi-program initiatives, or technical portfolios on extraordinary technology prototype efforts and creative new ideas and approaches that support critical mission needs. Depending on the level, you will translate broad Group strategy into clearly defined research or executional deliverables. Through integrating your deep technical expertise across disciplines, you consistently drive high-quality mission outcomes.

As a successful candidate, you will connect deep and diverse technical expertise with broader Laboratory objectives, perform independent research, develop creative approaches, and translate broad strategy into executable plans. You will work across or guide multidisciplinary teams through ambiguous trade-offs; helping develop and execute programs, creating briefings and reports, and often interfacing with sponsors. You effectively support sponsor, mission-partner, and Laboratory leadership’s needs through daily or weekly technical briefings, program documentation, proposals, and may conduct advanced capability road mapping and development. You will also guide and mentor Associate Technical Staff, Assistant Technical Staff, and other technical support personnel.

Additional Job Overview Details

The Advanced Imager Technology Group performs research and development of imager devices and subsystem-level technology for the DoD and scientific community. Our efforts include visible- and infrared-band detectors for applications such as ground- and space-based surveillance, adaptive optics, and astronomy. The group's efforts span the range of device and materials development, integrated circuit design and fabrication, custom packaging, detector hybridization, and the development of control and readout electronics for system-level demonstrations. Our group is seeking to hire an Image Sensor Development Engineer to help develop impactful new technology in support of national security and science. This role will be focused on leading the characterization of novel image sensors and development of supporting electronics.

Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead projects, complex programs, major technical workstreams, multi-program initiatives, or technical portfolios involving multidisciplinary development, analysis, prototyping, integration, testing, evaluation, and technology transition.
• Apply deep technical expertise and systems-level judgment to highly complex and ambiguous problems, evaluating alternatives, trade-offs, risks, stakeholder needs, and mission implications.
• Translate broad or unclear objectives into actionable technical plans and influence program direction, architectures, systems, priorities, and roadmaps across teams, Groups, or mission areas.
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, sponsors, mission partners, and internal leaders to align priorities, resolve dependencies, and guide decisions and deliverables.
• Assess and improve technical tools, processes, methods, documentation, execution practices, and organizational capability.
• Serve as a technical resource and mentor by reviewing work, framing trade-offs and risks, and developing staff and emerging leaders.
• Contribute substantially to papers, reports, presentations, proposals, grants, roadmaps, and other materials that advance mission outcomes and technical direction.

Additional Job Duties & Responsibilities

• Lead characterization of image sensors in our test laboratories, including identifying device testing requirements, defining the parameters to efficiently characterize imager performance, processing the data, and presenting summaries to internal and external audiences.
• Work closely with test engineers to ensure that imager characterization setups meet requirements and recommend investments to improve the Group’s capabilities.
• Manage prototyping efforts that include device design, fabrication, testing, and packaging.
• Assist in device design and technology computer aided design (TCAD) simulations that underlie them.
• Contribute to new concept development and proposal preparation.
• Identify opportunities to generate common infrastructure across different families of detectors.

Minimum Qualifications

Candidates will be considered for the appropriate level based on their education, experience, demonstrated technical expertise and breadth, leadership responsibilities, and the scale and complexity of programs or technical efforts they have led.

Level 5 – Technical Staff

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 6+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 4+ years of relevant experience; or PhD and typically 0+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Diverse technical expertise with demonstrated ability to adapt that expertise to unfamiliar or emerging disciplines, systems, mission areas, or methods.
• Established education, skills, and experience demonstrating the ability to apply significant technical judgment to broad challenges requiring integration across related systems or methods.
• Demonstrated ability to lead projects or major workstreams and deliver complex technical outcomes.
• Experience evaluating trade-offs, recommending paths forward, and adapting technical approaches to evolving project needs.
• Demonstrated mentorship, collaboration, and ability to communicate recommendations, risks, and technical findings to varied audiences.
• Experience contributing to technical reports, papers, presentations, proposals, or other formal technical deliverables.

Level 6 – Technical Staff

• Bachelor’s degree in a STEM discipline or other relevant technical field and typically 8+ years of relevant experience; or Master’s degree and typically 6+ years of relevant experience; or PhD and typically 2+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Deep and diverse technical expertise with demonstrated ability to integrate knowledge across domains and establish direction in evolving systems or mission areas.
• Established education, skills, and experience demonstrating the ability to incorporate technical judgment, program context, and stakeholder input to solve broad technical challenges.
• Proven experience leading complex programs, significant program elements, or multi-team technical efforts.
• Demonstrated ability to evaluate alternatives, manage technical ambiguity, and influence decisions across teams or stakeholder groups.
• Strong record of mentorship, collaboration, technical communication, and contribution to team or Group capability development.
• Experience contributing to proposals, publications, technical reports, presentations, or other materials that shape program direction or technical initiatives.

Additional Minimum Qualifications

Candidates should hold a degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related field. Candidates should also have deep expertise in at least two of the following areas:

• Scientific CMOS or charge-coupled device (CCD) imager design
• Scientific sensor characterization
• Calibration and/or instrumentation of scientific sensors
• Designing or fielding cameras in operational systems such as ground-based observatories
• TCAD modeling of semiconductor devices
• Transistor modeling and characterization

Technical Staff 5 Hiring Range:$140,000 - $187,000
Technical Staff 6 Hiring Range:$155,000 - $207,000

Disclaimer: MIT Lincoln Laboratory provides a typical hiring range as a good faith estimate of what we reasonably expect to offer for this position at the time of posting. The final salary offered to a selected candidate will depend on various factors, including—but not limited to—the scope and responsibilities of the role, the candidate’s experience, skills and education/training, internal equity considerations and applicable legal requirements. This range reflects base salary only and does not include additional forms of compensation or benefits.

At MIT Lincoln Laboratory, our exceptional career opportunities include many outstanding benefits to help you stay healthy, feel supported, and enjoy a fulfilling work-life balance. Benefits offered to employees include:

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision plans
• MIT-funded pension
• Matching 401K
• Paid leave (including vacation, sick, parental, military, etc.)
• Tuition reimbursement and continuing education programs

Selected candidate will be subject to a pre-employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment and will not be discriminated against on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, disability status, or genetic information; U.S. citizenship is required.

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