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Advanced Optical & Photonics R&D Scientist

Honeywell Aerospace
  • Plymouth, MN
  • $115,000–$144,000 Per Year
18 days ago

Job Description

Innovate to solve the world''s most important challenges

When you join Honeywell, you become a member of our global team of thinkers, innovators, dreamers who make the things that make the future.

That means changing the way we navigate, communicate, and sense the world around us. In this role you will help advance research in quantum and optical sensing to introduce new products and improve state-of-the art commercial and defense aerospace technologies.

Are you ready to help us make the future?

As an Optical and Photonics R&D Scientist within Honeywell''s Advanced Sensing Technology group, you will join a team of scientists and engineers translating today''s research into tomorrow''s optical sensing technologies. You will impact the future of Honeywell by leading the ideation, conceptualization, and prototyping of innovative solutions. You will collaborate with internal and external partners to leverage collective expertise and resources, ensuring that R&D projects adhere to industry standards. Your contributions will help bring R&D innovations to market, addressing global challenges through innovative solutions.

YOU MUST HAVE

  • PhD degree in electrical engineering, physics, applied physics, optical engineering, or equivalent
  • Research experience in two or more of the following areas:
  • Optical system modeling, design, and characterization
  • Fiber optics
  • Integrated photonics
  • Nonlinear optics
  • Optical combs
  • Stabilized laser systems
  • Optical sensors

WE VALUE

  • Track record of solving difficult, complex problems through innovation, analysis, engineering, and experimentation.
  • Excellent written and oral communication skills reflected in a record of published results and public presentations in your field of research.
  • The ability to work in a diverse team

BENEFITS OF WORKING AT HONEYWELL AEROSPACE

Beyond a performance-driven salary, you''ll work alongside dedicated experts on technology that''s advancing aviation. As a Honeywell Aerospace employee, you''re eligible for a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

  • Employer-subsidized medical, dental, vision and life insurance
  • Short-term and long-term disability coverage
  • 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts and health savings accounts
  • Employee assistance program and educational assistance
  • Parental leave and 12 paid holidays
  • Paid time off for vacation, personal and sick time

Explore your benefits: https://honeywellaerospacebenefits.com/

U.S. PERSON REQUIREMENTS

Due to compliance with U.S. export control laws and regulations, candidate must be a U.S. person, which is defined as, a U.S. citizen, a U.S. permanent resident, or have protected status in the U.S. under asylum or refugee status.

ABOUT HONEYWELL AEROSPACE

Join a company that''s reintroducing itself to the aviation community we''ve helped advance for more than a century. At Honeywell Aerospace (NASDAQ: HONA), we''re launching as an independent, publicly traded aerospace and defense company built on a legacy of operational excellence and mission-focused execution.

Our new brand identity pairs that heritage with real momentum, as we build technology that helps pilots navigate with confidence, aircraft operate more efficiently, and operators stay ahead of change. With our systems on board 90% of the world''s aircraft, your work here has reach that''s rare to find anywhere else.

Focusing on our customers, investing in innovation, and building a culture of accountability and performance is how we''re shaping what comes next.

Every horizon. Every mission. Every day.

ABOUT HONEYWELL ELECTRONIC SOLUTIONS

Honeywell Aerospace products and services are found on aircraft across commercial aviation, defense and space - from engines and cockpit electronics to cabin systems, mechanical components and connectivity solutions. Our technology helps operators fly more safely, reduce fuel consumption, improve on-time performance and deliver a better experience for the people on board.

As aviation continues to evolve, we''re also developing systems to support autonomous and supersonic platforms, bringing the same focus on safety and efficiency to the next era of flight. With approximately 36,000 employees worldwide and net sales of $17.4B in 2025, Honeywell Aerospace is one of the largest dedicated aerospace companies in the world. Explore our businesses: https://www.honeywellaerospace.com

Honeywell Aerospace Electronic Solutions develops the avionics, navigation systems, sensors and electromagnetic defense technology that help aircraft perform safely and with precision. Our systems are on board 90% of the world''s aircraft - serving commercial aviation, defense and space operators from integrated flight deck platforms with 30-plus years in service to radiation-hardened systems trusted for human spaceflight.

(NOTE: Salary range listed is for a Scientist level III - range at other seniority levels will vary)

The annual base salary range for this position (at Scientist level III) is $115,000 - $144,000. Please note that this salary information serves as a general guideline. Honeywell considers various factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate''s work experience, education and training, key skills, as well as market and business considerations.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 40 days from the job posting date; however, this may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates. Job Posting Date: July 16th, 2026.

As an Advanced Optical and Photonic Scientist in Honeywell Aerospace''s Advanced Sensing Technology group, you will use your technical skills to support several projects in a fast/-paced R&D environment. You will have the opportunity to advance research and development of technologies such as atomic clocks, atomic RF sensors, and photonics.

In this role you will help advance research in quantum and optical sensing to introduce new products and improve state-of-the art commercial and defense aerospace technologies. We are committed to innovation, research, and development of novel technologies and are at the forefront of bringing emerging technology to real world applications.

  • Work as part of our team of scientists and engineers to develop novel optical sensing technologies
  • Apply your skills to find creative solutions through rigorous analysis, engineering, and experimentation.
  • Interact with fabrication team to implement designs within the constraints of the fab tools.
  • Effectively communicate your ideas and results to research sponsors, scientific peers, and business leadership, through effective presentations, publications, and the writing of proposals.
  • Use your expertise to spur the growth of our technology portfolio in new directions, shaping the future of sensing technology.

NOTE: Considering candidates at varying seniority levels

As an Advanced Optical and Photonic Scientist in Honeywell Aerospace''s Advanced Sensing Technology group, you will use your technical skills to support several projects in a fast/-paced R&D environment. You will have the opportunity to advance research and development of technologies such as atomic clocks, atomic RF sensors, and photonics.

In this role you will help advance research in quantum and optical sensing to introduce new products and improve state-of-the art commercial and defense aerospace technologies. We are committed to innovation, research, and development of novel technologies and are at the forefront of bringing emerging technology to real world applications.

  • Work as part of our team of scientists and engineers to develop novel optical sensing technologies
  • Apply your skills to find creative solutions through rigorous analysis, engineering, and experimentation.
  • Interact with fabrication team to implement designs within the constraints of the fab tools.
  • Effectively communicate your ideas and results to research sponsors, scientific peers, and business leadership, through effective presentations, publications, and the writing of proposals.
  • Use your expertise to spur the growth of our technology portfolio in new directions, shaping the future of sensing technology.

NOTE: Considering candidates at varying seniority levels

Numbers & Facts

LocationPlymouth, MN
IndustryTravel, Transportation and Tourism
Salary$115,000–$144,000 Per Year
Company Size10,000 employees or more
Year Founded1914
Websitehttp://aerospace.honeywell.com/

About Company

Honeywell Aerospace innovates and integrates thousands of products and services to advance and easily deliver safe, efficient, productive and comfortable experiences worldwide.


Our History

The first autopilot in 1914, Charles Lindbergh’s first successful solo flight across the Atlantic in 1927, Amelia Earhart’s landmark flight in 1932, and the world’s first sonic boom in 1947, were all made possible because of aviation technology developed by Honeywell and its legacy companies.

During World War II, the groundbreaking cabin pressurization system developed by Garrett, Honeywell’s integrated C-1 autopilot, and the Norden bombsight made high-altitude bombing first feasible. Sperry instruments and navigation gear, Bendix electronics, carburetors, wheels, and brakes, and Grimes lighting systems were widely used on World War II aircraft. These innovations were later implemented successfully in civilian aircraft, helping the post-war boom in passenger travel.

In the 1950’s, Honeywell Aerospace and its legacy companies changed the face of flying with the development of the first gas-turbine engines and the ring laser gyroscope, which dramatically changed guidance and navigation forever. Sperry brought computer technology to the cockpit with electronic flight instrument systems, flight management systems and other digital technology, and Bendix introduced the first commercial weather radar system.Today, Honeywell Aerospace continues to innovate in the frontier of flight safety with traffic alert and collision avoidance technologies, the AlliedSignal Enhanced Ground Proximity Warning System, and systems that help pilots avoid severe weather and hazards such as lightning and wind shear. We at Honeywell Aerospace are proud of our contributions to aviation history, but we’re just as proud of the history we’re making today.

We have created the state-of-the-art integrated Aircraft Environment Surveillance System for the Airbus A380, and our advanced flight management, power distribution, pneumatic, and landing systems will help A380 operators reach new heights of performance and efficiency.

We are a leading supplier of products and systems for Boeing commercial airplanes, and our integrated avionics system for the Boeing 777 sets a new technology and reliability standard. Today, we are part of the team working to define technology concepts for the next Boeing airplane, the super-efficient 777.

The general, experimental, and light business aviation industries also turn to our respected Bendix/King range of communication and navigation avionics, weather radars, flight controls, flight information services, and other products and services that help make flying safer, more affordable, and more enjoyable.

Honeywell Aerospace continues to work to improve the capabilities of military forces, developing systems that power unmanned vehicles, avionics for jet fighters, weapon sensors for precision targeting, and upgrades that extend the lives of proven aircraft and vehicles. We’re part of the Lockheed Martin team working on the Joint Strike Fighter program, and we’re proposing a wide range of systems for the Army’s Future Combat System.

For more than 40 years, Honeywell technology has helped with the exploration and creation of opportunities in space. Our products have been integral to Neil Armstrong’s first step on the moon, and to every manned mission to space since. Today, the Space Shuttle is equipped with Honeywell’s Multifunction Electronic Display Subsystem, and we’re reaching into the future of space technology, with our work for the anticipated shuttle successor, the Orbital Space Plane, the International Space Station, and our contributions toward creating a permanent orbiting scientific laboratory and workspace.

As powered flight begins its second century, Honeywell Aerospace continues to make history with leading technology, reliable products and systems, superior service, and dedicated employees. The contributions of Honeywell, its legacy companies, and five generations of employees, have advanced the science of aviation to make flying the world’s safest form of transportation, while helping to protect our nation and explore the universe. We look forward to continuing our long tradition of developing and delivering innovative aviation systems that meet the current, and anticipate the future, needs of the customer.

Skills

  • Aerospace and Defenseunmatched
  • Analysis Skillsunmatched
  • Applied Physicsunmatched
  • Aviation Industryunmatched
  • Avionicsunmatched
  • Brand Marketing (Branding)unmatched
  • Communication Skillsunmatched
  • Customer Relationsunmatched
  • Electrical Engineeringunmatched
  • Electromagnetismunmatched
  • Electronicsunmatched
  • Emerging Technologyunmatched
  • Employee Assistance Planunmatched
  • Fiber Opticsunmatched
  • Industry Standardsunmatched
  • International Salesunmatched
  • Leadershipunmatched
  • Life Insuranceunmatched
  • Navigation Systemsunmatched
  • Optical Engineeringunmatched
  • Opticsunmatched
  • Photonicsunmatched
  • Physicsunmatched
  • Presentation/Verbal Skillsunmatched
  • Problem Solving Skillsunmatched
  • Process Improvementunmatched
  • Proposal Writingunmatched
  • Prototypingunmatched
  • Publicationsunmatched
  • Radio Frequencyunmatched
  • Regulationsunmatched
  • Research & Development (R&D)unmatched
  • Scientific Researchunmatched
  • Team Playerunmatched
  • Technical Supportunmatched
  • Time Managementunmatched
  • United States Citizenunmatched
  • Vision Planunmatched
  • Writing Skillsunmatched

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