CNC Optician – HNu Photonics – Kahului, HI

Technician Job Description: The CNC Optician will play a key role in the CNC fabrication of advanced optical components and systems and work collaboratively with internal optics group staff.

Job Duties:

• With little direction, the CNC Optician will provide technical expertise towards optical manufacturing and implementation of solutions to complex optical fabrication and testing situations.
• Coordinate and perform work involving machining precision optical components in support of HNu’s optics group and external customers in a timely manner.
• Coordinate fabrication and testing work as required with optics group using generating, grinding, and specialized polishing techniques.
• Fabricate optical components using a range of optical substrates including; various glass types, metals, silicon, germanium, silicon carbide, sapphire, etc.
• Operate and maintain polishing spindles.
• Maintain documentation of work performed.
• Conduct thorough quality control inspections and document results.
• Setup machine operations and use metrology tools such as profilometer and interferometer, inspect and maintain equipment.
• Maintain current knowledge in the field of optics, regarding materials, tools, techniques, metrology and the like.
• Assist optical group with maintaining work flow and delivery schedules.
• Work with optical group to improve current methods as well as develop new processes and procedures.
• The CNC Optician will be fully cognizant of all aspects of the manufacturing of optics, including performing the following activities on a regular basis:
• Perform Optical analysis and testing.
• Review and conduct Quality Inspections.
• Prepare Requests For Proposals (RFPs) and related contract documents.
• Ensure compliance with quality assurance and safety requirements.
• Write technical status reports.
• The work will also include producing the following key deliverables: Fabrication schedules, Fabrication requirements documents, Optical fabrication error budgets.
• Review of detailed drawings and specifications.

Job Requirements:

• Candidate must have CNC polishing experience.
• Experience polishing aspheric surfaces is required.
• Experience polishing precision surface
• Experience polishing optics ranging from 25mm to >500mm in diameter is required.
• Experience with interferometric null testing is required.

Minimum Requirements:

• Must have completed a formal training or apprenticeship program in the field of precision optics, or an Associates Degree in optical science (or equivalent) in combination with practical fabrication experience.
• Must have 5+ professional experience working in the field of precision optics.
• Expert in polishing a wide variety of materials: Optical glasses, metals, infrared materials.
• Experience with achieving difficult specifications = 0.1 wave P-V consistently.
• Experience with manufacturing precision optical surfaces including apsherics.
• Ability to setup, operate, and maintain equipment without supervision or direction.
• Proficient with interferometry test setups including measuring aspheric surfaces.
• Experience with Microsoft Office Suite — Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Project.
• Experience with advanced optical fabrication techniques.

Additional Requirements:

• Must be able to lift material, tooling, and fixtures; approximately 10-20 pounds on a regular basis and up to 50 pounds on occasion.
• Basic computer skills or previous experience in the programming and operation computer controlled machine tools.
• Knowledge of aspheric polishing and computer controlled (CNC) manufacturing is a must.
• Must have substantial knowledge of material properties and their behavior during fabrication.
• Must be capable of planning steps necessary to manufacture and inspect precision optical components.
• Must be capable of determining necessary machine tools and equipment needs for fabrication.
• Must be capable of identifying required fabrication tooling and fixtures and setting up necessary fixtures for fabrication and testing.
• Must be capable of performing metrology inspections and presenting specific recommendations to optics group and shop management.

Background on HNu Photonics:

Incorporated in 2006 and headquartered on Maui, Hawaii, HNu Photonics is a science and technology company creating cutting-edge technologies and transforming innovative ideas into state-of-the-art products with commercial, scientific and military applications. The focus of the company is renewable energy, photonics, specialized optics, and medical imaging technologies. HNu has introduced revolutionary advances in each of these areas. We have a complete CNC machining facility, CNC optical fabrication and test laboratory, electronics development, and assembly and test laboratories. We specialize in creative technical solutions and can manufacture small production runs of finished products.

HNu Photonics is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Job Type: Full-time

Required experience:

• precision optics: 5 years