Research Scientist Intern, Optical System Design (PhD)
Sunnyvale, CAInternship$7,650–12,667/moSeen todaySeen in employer's feed today
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Job overview
Meta Reality Labs develops technologies for augmented and virtual reality, including optics and displays. The Research Scientist Intern will explore optical system design for AR/VR displays through advanced simulations and prototyping, investigate perceptual impacts, and contribute research applicable to Meta products. The internship lasts 12 to 24 weeks, with various start dates throughout the year.
Skills & qualifications
Skills
Qualifications
Full job description
Summary:
Meta Reality Labs brings together a world-class team of researchers, developers, and engineers to create the future of virtual and augmented reality, which together will become as universal and essential as smartphones and personal computers are today. And just as personal computers have done over the past 45 years, AR and VR will ultimately change everything about how we work, play, and connect. We are developing all the technologies needed to enable breakthrough AR glasses and VR headsets, including optics and displays, computer vision, audio, graphics, brain-computer interface, haptic interaction, eye/hand/face/body tracking, perception science, and true telepresence. Some of those will advance much faster than others, but they all need to happen to enable AR and VR that are so compelling that they become an integral part of our lives.Our internships are twelve (12) to twenty-four (24) weeks long and we have various start dates throughout the year.
Required Skills:
Research Scientist Intern, Optical System Design (PhD) Responsibilities:
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Collaborate with researchers and cross-functional partners including communicating research plans, progress, and results.
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Publish research results and contribute to research that can be applied to Meta product development.
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Develop next generation AR/VR displays with an emphasis on advanced simulations and prototyping to prove new concepts and understand the perceptual impact of those concepts.
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Collaborate with larger Meta Reality Labs Research team to explore novel solution space for AR/VR devices.
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Explore the application of at least one of the following: geometrical optics, diffraction optics, polarization optics, illumination, optical system design.
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This position will have an emphasis of advanced simulations and prototyping to prove new concepts and the perceptual impact of those concepts.
Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum Qualifications:
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Must obtain work authorization in country of employment at the time of hire and maintain ongoing work authorization during employment
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2+ years experience in at least one of the following areas of optical research: physical optics, geometry optics, aberration theory, optical system prototyping, light transport and rendering
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2+ years experience with scientific programming languages (e.g., MATLAB, Python, and Mathematica)
Preferred Qualifications:
Preferred Qualifications:
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Experience developing GPU-accelerated simulation or rendering tools (e.g., CUDA, OptiX, compute shaders, or similar)
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Experience working and communicating cross functionally in a team environment
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Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as first-authored publications at leading workshops or conferences
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2+ years of experience in system-level prototyping work, including hands-on prototyping of bench-top optical components
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Proven track record of achieving significant results as demonstrated by grants, fellowships, patents, as well as first-authored publications at leading workshops or conferences such as JOSA, SPIE, OSA, IEEE, CLEO, or similar
Public Compensation:
$7,650/month to $12,667/month + benefits
Industry: Internet
Equal Opportunity:
Meta is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, sexual stereotypes, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. We also consider qualified applicants with criminal histories, consistent with applicable federal, state and local law. Meta participates in the E-Verify program in certain locations, as required by law. Please note that Meta may leverage artificial intelligence and machine learning technologies in connection with applications for employment.
Meta is committed to providing reasonable accommodations for candidates with disabilities in our recruiting process. If you need any assistance or accommodations due to a disability, please let us know at [email protected].
How this job compares
Set against the 2,211 open Research Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 7, 2026.
- Pay
- This posting$7,650–12,667/mo
- California median$174–268K/yr495 salary ranges
- US median$34–43/hr48 hourly ranges
- Openings
- Olive Jobs lists 738 open Research Scientist jobs in California and 2,211 across the US. 3% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
- Experience
- This posting asks for at least 2 years of experience; Research Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (1,141 postings).
- Education
- 1,088 of the 2,211 open Research Scientist jobs (49%) ask for a bachelor's degree or higher.
Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 7, 2026. Pay medians are the middle values of the low ends and of the high ends of postings that list both ends of a range in the same cadence (a yearly salary or an hourly rate); a range's midpoint is halfway between its ends. Pay and experience figures resting on fewer than 20 postings are left out.
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