Matthew Chidley

Matthew Chidley is a seasoned optical engineering professional currently serving as Senior Principal Optical Engineer at ARKA Group, LP since October 2023, specializing in optical design, metrology, and testing. Prior experience includes a role as Optical Engineering Manager at Danbury Missions Technologies, overseeing a team of 11 engineers while providing technical support for programs and internal research and development. Matthew's background encompasses leadership as Optics Team Lead and Discipline Chief at Collins Aerospace, where responsibilities included Zemax optical design and mentoring junior engineers. Earlier roles involved optical design and testing at UTC Aerospace Systems and Goodrich, as well as research at Oak Ridge National Lab focused on digital holographic inspection. Matthew holds a PhD in Optical Sciences from the University of Arizona and both BS and MS degrees in Mechanical Engineering from The Ohio State University.