Cambium

Develops high-performance resins and composites

Senior Scientist - Directed Energy Protection

Hardware EngineeringPosted on Nov 8

Full-timeEl Segundo, CA, USA

About the Job

Requirements

A Ph.D. in a relevant technology field, such as Optical Engineering, Polymer Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Optical Physics, or Materials Science.
At least 6 years of post-graduate experience designing and developing optical materials and devices.
At least 4 years of technical project leadership experience, such as serving as a principal investigator.
Strong leadership, communication, and project management skills.
Expertise in optical sciences and related disciplines.
Technical writing, proposal preparation, and technical presentation skills.
U.S. citizenship is required due to clients under U.S. government contracts.

Responsibilities

Lead design, fabrication, prototyping, and testing of technologies that protect sensors from directed energy.
Solve technical problems independently and collaboratively while developing products and manufacturing processes for aeronautical environments.
Provide technical leadership to a team conducting experiments, analyze data, and design and control equipment.
Troubleshoot research and development and manufacturing equipment.
Build and execute a product roadmap and ensure technical work aligns with the product vision.
Contribute to other company programs, including laser eyewear protection.
Supervise a team of engineers and scientists involved in optical product development projects.
Lead multiple government-contracted projects to develop technology into products.
Develop ideas for new products and approaches to expand the company portfolio.
Develop and execute a technology roadmap for directed energy protection products.
Participate in strategic planning and assessment of directed energy protection products.
Participate in research and development business development and capture efforts.
Oversee aspects of optics design, simulation, fabrication, and testing.
Engage with customers and prepare technical materials.
Prepare proposals.
Understand current technology and present future enhancements and strategies.
Communicate with government and industry by telephone, email, and in person.

Desired Qualifications

Experience with metasurfaces, plasmonics, and optical absorbers is highly desirable.
Participation in the complete technology development cycle, from design through field testing, is desired.

Cambium is a global company building the advanced materials base for reindustrialization — from AI-driven molecular design to agile domestic manufacturing. Defense, aerospace, and other high-performance applications demand materials that are stronger, lighter, and more resilient, delivered at unprecedented speed and scale. Our team of world-class scientists and engineers was assembled specifically to take on those challenges. Whether enabling hypersonic flight or protecting critical systems, our solutions solve mission-critical problems and push the limits of what's possible. Come join us and revolutionize advanced materials for defense, aerospace, and beyond.

Senior Scientist Directed Energy Protection

El SEGUNDO, CA | FULL-TIME Onsite/Remote

THE ROLE

Cambium is seeking an experienced and pragmatic applied scientist/engineer to lead design, fabrication, prototyping, and testing or technology that protects sensors from directed energy. The materials are both organic dyes and polymers as well as inorganic structures. This will require the ability to solve technical problems, both independently and as part of a team, while developing new products and new manufacturing processes for operation in an aeronautical environment.

Significant aspects of the position include the technical lead of a team conducting experiments; analyzing data; design and control of equipment; troubleshooting both R&D and manufacturing equipment; building and executing a product roadmap; and ensuring all technical work is focused towards your product vision. It is expected there will be opportunities to contribute to other programs of interest to the company including laser eyewear protection.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Project Strategy and Leadership:

- Supervise a team engineers/scientists involved in optical product development projects
- Lead multiple government contracted projects to develop technology into products
- Ideation for new products and approaches to expand Cambium’s portfolio
- Develop and execute a technology roadmap for directed energy protection products
- Participate in strategic planning and assessment of directed energy protection products
- Participate in R&D business development and capture efforts.
- Work collaboratively within the R&D team.

Technical Expertise:

- Overseeing some of design, simulation, fabrication, and testing efforts for optics.
- Knowledge of optical materials and physics.
- Experience with metasurfaces, plasmonics, and optical absorbers is highly desirable.
- Customer-facing engagement and technical material preparation.
- Proposal preparation.
- Understand current technology and pitch future enhancements and strategies.
- Communicate (telephone/email/in-person) engagement with government and industry.

KEY REQUIREMENTS

Ph.D. in a relevant technology field (i.e., Optical Engineering, Polymer Chemistry, Physical Chemistry, Optical Physics, Materials Science, etc.).
6+ years of experience in the design and development of optical materials and devices post graduate school.
4 years of experience in technical project leadership (i.e., principal investigator).

Excellent leadership, communication, and project management skills.

Expertise in optical sciences and related disciplines
Technical writing, proposal preparation, and technical presentation.
Participation in the complete technology development cycle: design to field testing is desired.
NOTE - Must be a U.S. Citizen due to clients under U.S. government contracts.

SALARY/HOURLY: $135,000 - $166,000

BENEFITS: Cambium offers a highly competitive compensation and benefits plan. This includes excellent medical/dental/vision benefits, and a matching 401(k) plan, professional development reimbursement, and an opportunity for equity for most full-time positions

El Segundo pay range

$135,000—$166,000 USD

El Segundo pay range 135000 - 166000 USD

About the Company

Cambium

Develops high-performance resins and composites

Cambium develops advanced materials for defense and aerospace. It uses a platform that re-engineers polymers from first principles to produce high‑performance resins and composites. Its phthalonitrile resins are thermosets designed for extreme environments, offering high service temperatures and strong thermal stability for missiles, space, and hypersonic aircraft. The goal is to provide durable, reliable materials that enable demanding aerospace and defense systems to operate securely in harsh conditions.

Company size: 51-200
Company stage: Series B
Total funding: $127M
Headquarters: El Segundo, CA
Founded: 2019

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