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Senior Scientist Directed Energy Protection

Cambium

El Segundo, CAFull-time$135–166K/yrPosted 5 days agoStill listed 4 days ago

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At a glance

Compensation
$135–166K/yr
Location
El Segundo, CA
Schedule
Full-time
Work Authorization
US work authorization required

Olive lists jobs from US employers, including remote roles you can work from the United States.

Requirements

Credentials this posting asks for.

Doctorate

Job overview

Cambium seeks an applied scientist or engineer to lead development of materials and products that protect sensors from directed energy. The role spans organic and inorganic materials, product design and testing, manufacturing processes, and technical leadership. The scientist will guide teams and government-contracted projects, develop a technology roadmap, and may contribute to other programs such as laser eyewear protection.

Skills & qualifications

RequiredNice to have

Skills

Optical EngineeringPolymer ChemistryPhysical ChemistryOptical PhysicsMaterials ScienceSoftware Project ManagementTechnical WritingProposal WritingOptical SciencesOptical MaterialsLeadershipCommunicationProject ManagementProposal PreparationTechnical PresentationTechnology Development Cycle

Qualifications

PhD in Relevant Technology6+ Years Optical Materials and Devices Experience4 Years Technical Project LeadershipU.S. Citizenship

Benefits

Medical Insurance
Dental Insurance
Vision Insurance
401(k) Match
Tuition Assistance

Full job description

Senior Scientist Directed Energy Protection El SEGUNDO, CA | FULL-TIME Onsite/Remote 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.

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

How this job compares

Set against the 2,126 open Scientist jobs on Olive Jobs, counted November 4, 2026.

Pay
  • This posting$135–166K/yr
  • California median$124–174K/yr269 salary ranges
  • US median$108–160K/yr1,145 salary ranges

This range's midpoint, $151K, is close to the California median midpoint ($148K) — in the middle half of Scientist salary ranges in California.

Openings
Olive Jobs lists 429 open Scientist jobs in California and 2,126 across the US. Under 1% of them nationwide are listed as remote or flexible.
Hiring the most in California
Experience
This posting asks for at least 6 years of experience; Scientist postings that state a minimum ask for 3 years at the median (1,561 postings).
Education
This posting asks for a doctorate or professional degree; 383 of the 2,126 open Scientist jobs (18%) ask for a doctorate or professional degree.

Counted across the open, public US postings on Olive Jobs on November 4, 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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