Development Department Overview:

The Research and Development (R&D) department is responsible for writing all of the code that goes into the software provided by Zemax LLC. This effort requires skills in both computational physics and computer science. Team members are responsible for developing the physics algorithms for existing products - OpticStudio and LensMechanix - and for new products that we plan to bring to market in 2019 and beyond, and for providing physical modeling of all features added to these products. They are also charged with building code architecture and user interfaces that makes each product easy, fast and robust to use. The R&D team works closely with the rest of the business contributing our own ideas as well as collaborating with other technical and non-technical personnel to ensure value in everything that we add to our software products.

Role Overview: 

Zemax is looking for a Computational Physicist to work on the Research and Development team. This individual should have a strong foundation in physics (ideally optical physics) and algorithm development, and a strong background in programming (ideally C++). The successful candidate must be able to work both independently and with multiple technical staff (scientific and programming), collaborating as needed to achieve team and company objectives. Tasks include conducting research on physics capabilities to add to the Zemax product line – for existing software tools as well as new products that will be added to the Zemax software solution platform in the future – and developing computational algorithms to model this physics. The latter will require working within the program architecture of our existing software and working with our software development engineering team to develop new architecture as needed.

 A high commitment to both technical and software quality is mandatory. The candidate must possess strong communication skills, and enjoy analyzing and solving problems while working with the company's senior scientific staff.

 Role Key Activities: 

• Fixing bugs, removing code debt, and improving the algorithms and architecture used in the existing physics core of the Zemax OpticStudio (ZOS) code base
• Developing new features for upcoming releases of our existing software tools
• Working with technical staff in the product management and engineering services teams on specifications and prototypes for new features to be added to our existing software tools
• Working with staff in the New Ventures team on research, prototypes, and addressing technical issues raised in the investigation of new product development and acquisitions
• Conducting research on new technologies and algorithms for implementation within our existing software tools or within new products

Top Three Key Outcomes in Year One: 

• Attain comfort and proficiency with the existing ZOS code base, with the goal of completing all assigned bug fixes and development projects on time
• Contribute ideas to product roadmap teams aimed at adding new technical capabilities to, and enhancing user experience in, our existing software tools
• Generate 2-3 ideas for improvements or new capabilities that can be added to the Zemax software solution platform through the addition of new technologies

Qualifications: 

• Master’s Degree in Physics or Engineering; Ph.D. preferred; Optical physics experience a plus
• 3+ years of experience developing complex computational algorithms
• Detailed experience with C, C++ and Microsoft Visual Studio
• Experience with C# and .NET
• Experience with data visualization tools a plus
• Interest and experience in machine learning applications a plus
• Ability to effectively communicate with both scientific and programming staff
• Highly organized with an ability to efficiently handle numerous projects simultaneously
• Passion for technical research and development
• Excellent judgment, organizational, and problem-solving skills

Location: Kirkland, WA

Zemax, LLC is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics.

Who we are and what we do:

Zemax empowers thousands of optical engineers to bring new technologies to life. As the global leader in optical and illumination design software, Zemax touches nearly every optical and illumination space, from virtual reality systems to moon exploration to extreme-sport videos to self-driving cars to digital retina mapping. There is a reason that 50% of all optical engineering jobs require Zemax software experience!

Since 1991, Zemax has been driven by people passionate about the optical design space, and that legacy continues to this day. In the last six years, Zemax has seen dramatic growth, both in sales and headcount. The recent strategic investment by EQT Partners positions the company to triple our sales in the next 3-5 years. Headquartered in Kirkland, WA, Zemax has expanded sales and service support globally with operations in London, Shanghai, and Japan, and will continue to open additional geographic offices in 2019.

OpticStudio is Zemax's core product, the industry standard for design and simulation software for optical and illumination designers, engineers, and researchers worldwide. In early 2016 we launched LensMechanix, a SolidWorks add-in to enable mechanical engineers to seamlessly package optical systems in the environment they know best. LensMechanix for Creo was subsequently released in the fall of 2018 to provide greater flexibility to mechanical engineers in the choice of CAD platform. As always, Zemax remains focused on decreasing time to market, enabling faster turn-around from concept to product development.

Zemax is a company where every individual makes an impact, and employees are our greatest assets. At Zemax, you have the opportunity to work with a diverse group of energetic co-workers on projects that impact a variety of industries.

Who will love this role:

Zemaxers flourish in a team-centric environment and are visionary when it comes to what is possible through process improvements, automation and product management. You look at the challenging-but-achievable projects and don't feel daunted, but inspired. You see change and experimentation as something positive, and enjoy being part of a team with diverse backgrounds.

We're looking for people who reflect our core values by being: Driven, Constantly Improving, Problem-Solvers, Super Smart and all around Fun.

Be sure to check Zemax's Glassdoor page for more about what it is like to work at Zemax!