Research Scientist / Fellow (Fibre Optics)

About the role

The School of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at Nanyang Technological University (NTU) is looking for a highly motivated Research Scientist / Research Fellow to join its fibre optics team. The role focuses on developing next-generation high-power fiber beam combiners, with responsibility for advanced modelling and simulation tools and for diagnostic and characterization tools.

Key responsibilities

• Develop and customize simulation templates using Beam Propagation Method (BPM) software (e.g., BeamProp) to model optical behavior in fiber combiners, especially taper transitions and fusion zones.
• Use Finite Element Method (FEM) software (e.g., COMSOL) for thermal analysis of heat distribution and dissipation in high-power operation.
• Define theoretical benchmarks for insertion loss and beam quality, validate models against literature and empirical data, and collaborate with the fabrication team to diagnose sub-optimal performance.
• Design, build and maintain experimental setups for characterizing high-power fiber components, measuring insertion loss, beam quality (M²) and thermal performance above 200 W per port.
• Standardize testing procedures and use methods such as fiber index profiling and microscopic inspection to analyze post-processing effects.
• Provide characterization data to the M&S and fabrication teams to close the development loop.

Required profile

• PhD in Physics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering or a related field.
• At least 4 years of relevant experience or hands-on experience in an optics lab, including designing test benches and characterizing optical components.
• Solid theoretical understanding of fiber optics, laser physics and heat transfer.
• Good written and oral communication, analytical and problem-solving skills, and ability to work collaboratively in a fast-paced environment.

Required skills

• Familiarity with optical and thermal simulation software and high-power laser systems.
• Proficiency in BPM and COMSOL is highly essential.