AR Glass Substrate Expert – Glass Melting & High Index Glass Process Development - Santa Clara, CA, United States
$176,000 - $242,000 USD yearly
Originally posted 12 May 2026 by the employer.
Focus on glass melting technology and high-refractive-index glass formulation for AR/MR waveguides.
About the role
This role leads the development of advanced glass substrates for AR/MR waveguides, combining glass melting technology, high-refractive-index glass formulation, and precision thickness control. You will transition lab-scale processes to 300 mm wafer platforms and high-volume production.
What you'll do
- Research and develop high-index optical glass compositions optimized for AR applications, focusing on melting and forming processes for defect reduction and optical properties. - Design and implement thickness and flatness control strategies, including TTV, wedge, and transmitted wavefront. - Develop advanced metrology and SPC systems to ensure substrate quality. - Transition lab-scale processes to 300 mm wafer platforms and collaborate with glass and equipment vendors to establish process windows and cost structures. - Partner with optics, photonics, and hardware teams to integrate substrates into AR waveguide designs and optimize for efficiency and color uniformity. - Contribute to patents and internal best-practice documentation to define substrate roadmaps.
What you'll need
- MS or PhD in Materials Science, Glass Science, Applied Physics, or related field. - Proven expertise in glass melting and forming technologies. - Hands-on experience with high-index glass development and optical-grade substrate processing. - Familiarity with NIL vs. etched grating processes and AR waveguide integration. - Strong understanding of refractive index engineering and optical performance metrics. - Proficiency in metrology for thickness, flatness, and transmitted wavefront, with the ability to scale processes from prototype to mass production.
Nice to have
- Experience with AR/MR waveguide substrates and thin-glass handling. - Knowledge of CMP/polishing, coatings, and surface quality optimization. - Background in supplier engagement and cost-performance trade-offs for large-scale glass manufacturing.
Skills: glass melting, high-index glass, 300mm, metrology, TTV
This role has been open 188 days — well above the 70-day median for Process Engineering roles.
Process Engineering · Semiconductor Process
|
Open roles in category
1066
|
Median days open
70 d
|
Median salary
$137k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, skills in demand, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Applied Materials | All employers we track in this specialty (1066 roles · 56 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 80 | 1066 |
| Open roles in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family | 1162 | 10102 · 107 employers |
| Median days open | 66 d | 70 d (−4 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $137k |
Skills observed across this category: glass melting, high-index glass, 300mm, metrology, TTV
Who's hiring in this category
- Micron Technology · 333 open roles · median 131 d
- GlobalFoundries · 88 open roles · median 90 d
- Applied Materials (this employer) · 81 open roles · median 69 d
- Texas Instruments · 58 open roles · median 56 d
- STMicroelectronics · 50 open roles · median 49 d
- Entegris · 44 open roles · median 42 d
How we counted: 1066 open Process Engineering (Semiconductor Process) roles from 56 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 27 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Process, Fab & Equipment family row. Figures refresh nightly.