Senior Scientist

Join The Hoya Vision Care Team!

For over 60 years, HOYA Vision Care has been a passionate leader in optical technology innovation. As a manufacturer of high quality, high performing eyeglass lenses, we continuously aim to bring the best possible vision care solutions to eye care professionals.

We are currently hiring a Sr. Scientist to work in our Ramsey, MN facility! The salary for this position is $120,000+ plus annual incentive.

What's in it for you?

• Health/Dental/Vision/Disability Insurance
• Tuition Reimbursement
• 401K plans
• PTO and Paid Holidays
• And more!

What you'll do:

• Lead R&D for advanced optical coatings using physical vapor deposition (e-beam evaporation, sputtering), including modeling, design, and process optimization.
• Serve as a technical owner for vacuum coater systems-performing preventative maintenance, troubleshooting, and hands-on repairs when necessary.
• Plan and execute lab-scale experiments as an individual contributor and as part of cross-functional teams.
• Plan and coordinate manufacturing-scale experiments as part of cross-functional teams.
• Provide technical guidance and training to engineers and technicians on coating processes and equipment.
• Support overseas production teams in scaling and validating new coating processes.
• Prepare technical reports, experimental summaries, and project updates for internal reviews and stakeholder briefings.
• Stay up to date with industry advancements by reviewing scientific literature and patents.
• Collaborate globally with R&D, Product Management, and Operations to integrate coating innovations into commercial products.
• This role is primarily technical but includes leadership responsibilities within the coating development team. Future advancement may include direct supervisory duties.

Qualifications:

• MS or PhD in Materials Science, Applied Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in a hands-on R&D or manufacturing environment.
• Proven experience with vacuum deposition systems, including direct involvement in system maintenance and repair.
• Strong background in optical thin film coatings and process development.
• Experience with electron beam evaporation is a plus.
• Modeling of thin film designs is required.
• Demonstrated ability to lead technical projects and mentor peers or junior staff.
• Experience transferring new technologies from R&D into production environments.
• Familiarity with stage-gate product development frameworks.
• Willingness to travel up to 15% (domestic and international).
• Knowledge of Japanese is a plus but not required.
• Must be able to visually inspect coatings and equipment components.