Senior Principal Research Scientist, Optics & Lasers

Job Description

COVID-19 continues to significantly impact our employees, families and communities. With employee health and safety as our top priority, and as a federal contractor, Lockheed Martin is taking action to address the increased risk and uncertainty COVID variants pose in the workplace and ensuring we meet our commitments to national security.
To uphold safety for all employees, we will continue to request vaccination status for all Lockheed Martin employees including new hires. All current and newly hired employees who are unvaccinated will be required to adhere to onsite safety protocols.
Description:At the dawn of a new space age, Lockheed Martin is a pioneer, partner, innovator and builder. Our amazing peoplen are on a mission to make a difference in the world and every single day we use our unique skills and experiences to create, design and build solutions to some of the world's hardest engineering problems.
The Advanced Technology Center (ATC) is the research lab for Lockheed Martin Space. Through our own skills and those of our partners—including universities and research labs around the world—we’re able to put vision in motion. While we are a part of LM's space division, our technologies are far-reaching across domains. Napkin sketches of lasers that can shoot down UAVs—we made it real. Changing molecules so metals behave differently? We invented that. ATC’s story is written in the success of missions here on Earth and far, far into space. Our innovation extends beyond incremental change. We strive for first-of-a-kind capability with enduring impact. Whatever the application, our charter is to create game-changing technologies. At the ATC, we’re inspiring change in our endless pursuit of what’s next.
We are seeking a Senior Principal Research Scientist in the Optics & Lasers Directorate of the ATC who will have a significant impact on the organization. You will become part of the team executing a broad optics, photonics, and laser based program portfolio. We will look to you to provide technical leadership in executing activities in support of LM Space, the Corporation, and external clients. In order to accomplish this, you will work closely with Space lines of business (LOBs), the Optical Payload Center of Excellence and other ATC leaders. Some of your day to day responsibilities will include:
• Technical leadership and contributions to solid-state laser or fiber laser development programs
• Participating in the development of complex optical systems
• Understanding the optics and remote sensing relevant technology needs of Space LOBs and serve as a liaison with LM LOBs and customers.
• Leading technology roadmap development and the development of transition plans for technology and systems.
• Serving as principal investigator on select activities and as capture manager on select pursuits.
• Developing technical proposals.
• Training and mentoring more junior technical staff.
We are looking for a scientist with demonstrated success in resolving technical challenges and leading teams of technologists in developing first-of-kind passive or active optical systems, lasers, or electro-optical technology. You are someone who is broadly recognized as a top authority and leader in the field. You are a skilled presenter and public speaker who demonstrates:
• Significant technical insight
• Excellent writing ability
• Clear communication of complex ideas, technology and concepts to an experts and non-experts audiences
Do these statements describe your skills and expertise? If the answer is yes, we want you to join us!
This position does require limited travel. You will be located in the Louisville, CO, area.
To promote the sharing of ideas, Lockheed Martin fosters an inclusive work environment that encourages differences and big-picture thinking.
Our employees play an active role in strengthening the quality of life where we live and work by volunteering more than 850,000 hours annually. Here are some of the benefits you can enjoy:
• Medical
• Dental
• 401k
• Paid time off
• Work/life balance
• Career development
• Mentorship opportunities
• Rewards & recognition
Learn more about Lockheed Martin’s competitive and comprehensive benefits package.
We will ensure that individuals with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodation to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and to receive other benefits and privileges of employment. Please contact us to request accommodation.
Basic Qualifications:
• Ph.D. in Applied Physics, Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or closely related field with a minimum of 18 years of professional experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience
• Expertise in design and development of lasers, amplifiers, laser resonators and nonlinear optical devices
• Expertise in fiber optic materials and devices
• Expertise in optical materials, spectroscopy and atomic and molecular physics, ultrafast optics, quantum phenomena, etc.
• Strong business insights and at least 10 years of demonstrated successful leadership and management of research and development programs or technical departments
• Strong mentoring skills and experience leading groups or teams of at least 25 researchers
• Credentials must include significant papers, patents, books and/or papers relevant to the laser field
• US Citizenship with the ability to obtain a Top Secret and SCI clearance.
Desired Skills:
• Understanding of atmospheric phenomena, such as turbulence and scintillation; optical effects, such as diffraction, interference and speckle; and opto-mechanical and electrical design as it relates to optical system performance
• Strong systems thinking skills as it pertains to linking mission requirements to optical technology development needs
• Demonstrated ability to transition technology into systems and products.
• Experience developing flight-qualified and space-qualified hardware, systems and payloads
• Experience with earned value management systems, development of cost estimates, subcontract management and risk management
• Strong customer empathy with ability and willingness to lead new business development
• Active TS/SCI clearance