Senior Optics Scientist

Job Description:

Senior Optics Scientist

Collaborate with Innovative 3Mers Around the World

Choosing where to start and grow your career has a major impact on your professional and personal life, so it’s equally important you know that the company that you choose to work at, and its leaders, will support and guide you. With a wide variety of people, global locations, technologies and products, 3M is a place where you can collaborate with other curious, creative 3Mers.

This position provides an opportunity to transition from other private, public, government or military experience to a 3M career.

The Impact You’ll Make in this Role

The person hired for this Senior Optics Scientist position will join a team of research chemists, physicists and engineers in the Corporate Research Lab of 3M and apply their Optics expertise and experience to invent, develop, and create new business opportunities and support existing 3M products and businesses.  This position offers a chance to work on exciting technologies at the heart of tomorrow's most creative products.  

Primary Responsibilities: 

• Collect and apply optical measurements and theory to solve complex optical challenges and advance R&D analytical capabilities 

• Collaborate with a team of chemists, physicists and engineers on both theoretical and practical projects that will use scientific, mathematical and optics skills to drive new-to-the-world technology development and introduction 

• Develop and implement relevant and valuable optical technologies that support 3M research and development 

• Prepare technical documentation, including design specifications, test plans, and reports, to communicate findings and progress to stakeholders 

• Remain current with the latest advancements in optical technologies and incorporate relevant innovations into your work 

Basic Qualifications:  

• Master's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Material Science, or a science field (completed and verified prior to start) from an accredited institution.

• One (1) or more years of experience with optical research techniques in a public, private, academic, government or military environment.

Preferred Qualifications: 

• PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field 

• Strong expertise in physical optics, electromagnetic theory, and/or imaging optics 

• Domain expertise in optics, scatterometry, ellipsometry, optical microscopy, optical modelling, image analysis, data analytics, and data science 

• Experience in programming languages: Python, MATLAB 

• Strong scientific and technical acumen, with demonstrated interest and ability to make connections between science/technology and real-world concerns
• Solid understanding of experimental techniques for optical characterization and testing 

• Excellent problem-solving skills and the ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment 

• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, to effectively convey technical information 

• Experience leading projects 

Work Location:  Position is lab-based on site in Maplewood, MN

Travel: May include up to 5% domestic/international 

Relocation Benefits: Is authorized

Must be legally authorized to work in country of employment without sponsorship for employment visa status (e.g., H1B status)

Responsibilities of this position may include direct and/or indirect physical or logical access to information, systems, technologies subjected to the regulations/compliance with U.S. Export Control Laws.
 
U.S. Export Control laws and U.S. Government Department of Defense contracts and sub-contracts impose certain restrictions on companies and their ability to share export-controlled and other technology and services with certain "non-U.S. persons" (persons who are not U.S. citizens or nationals, lawful permanent residents of the U.S., refugees, "Temporary Residents" (granted Amnesty or Special Agricultural Worker provisions), or persons granted asylum (but excluding persons in nonimmigrant status such as H-1B, L-1, F-1, etc.) or non-U.S. citizens.
 
To comply with these laws, and in conjunction with the review of candidates for those positions within 3M that may present access to export controlled technical data, 3M must assess employees' U.S. person status, as well as citizenship(s).
 
The questions asked in this application are intended to assess this and will be used for evaluation purposes only.  Failure to provide the necessary information in this regard will result in our inability to consider you further for this particular position.  The decision whether or not to file or pursue an export license application is at 3M Company's sole election.

Supporting Your Well-being 

3M offers many programs to help you live your best life – both physically and financially. To ensure competitive pay and benefits, 3M regularly benchmarks with other companies that are comparable in size and scope. 

Resources for You 

For more details on what happens before, during and after the interview process, check out the Insights for Candidates page at 3M.com/careers.

Applicable to US Applicants Only:The expected compensation range for this position is $141,150 - $172,517, which includes base pay plus variable incentive pay, if eligible. This range represents a good faith estimate for this position. The specific compensation offered to a candidate may vary based on factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s relevant knowledge, training, skills, work location, and/or experience. In addition, this position may be eligible for a range of benefits (e.g., Medical, Dental & Vision, Health Savings Accounts, Health Care & Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts, Disability Benefits, Life Insurance, Voluntary Benefits, Paid Absences and Retirement Benefits, etc.). Additional information is available at: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/.

Good Faith Posting Date Range 07/22/2025 To 08/21/2025 Or until filled

All US-based 3M full time employees will need to sign an employee agreement as a condition of employment with 3M. This agreement lays out key terms on using 3M Confidential Information and Trade Secrets. It also has provisions discussing conflicts of interest and how inventions are assigned. Employees that are Job Grade 7 or equivalent and above may also have obligations to not compete against 3M or solicit its employees or customers, both during their employment, and for a period after they leave 3M.

Learn more about 3M’s creative solutions to the world’s problems at www.3M.com or on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn @3M.

Responsibilities of this position include that corporate policies, procedures and security standards are complied with while performing assigned duties.

Safety is a core value at 3M. All employees are expected to contribute to a strong Environmental Health and Safety (EHS) culture by following safety policies, identifying hazards, and engaging in continuous improvement.

Pay & Benefits Overview: https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/careers-us/working-at-3m/benefits/

3M does not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Please note: your application may not be considered if you do not provide your education and work history, either by: 1) uploading a resume, or 2) entering the information into the application fields directly.

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