Senior Optical Engineer – Advanced Imaging Systems

We are seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to design, develop, integrate, and validate high-performance optical systems for advanced imaging, metrology, and semiconductor inspection applications. This role is ideal for an engineer with strong expertise in optical system design, precision alignment, optical metrology, and product development who enjoys solving complex multidisciplinary engineering challenges.
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You will work closely with systems, mechanical, software, manufacturing, and hardware engineering teams to develop innovative optical solutions from concept through production while ensuring exceptional performance, manufacturability, and reliability.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and develop advanced optical subsystems for imaging, illumination, and metrology applications.
• Evaluate multiple optical architectures and optimize designs based on performance, manufacturability, cost, tolerances, and optical efficiency.
• Translate system-level requirements into detailed optical designs and manufacturing specifications.
• Perform statistical optical tolerance analysis, alignment sensitivity analysis, and error budgeting to ensure robust product performance.
• Design and implement optical alignment methodologies, calibration procedures, metrology systems, and precision test fixtures.
• Develop custom optical metrology systems to verify, characterize, and optimize optical subsystem performance.
• Create optical models, perform performance simulations, and predict system behavior under varying operating conditions.
• Lead design reviews and support component sourcing, supplier selection, prototype builds, integration, testing, and product release.
• Investigate manufacturing and customer issues, perform root cause analysis, and implement corrective design improvements.
• Optimize optical performance, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), throughput, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Debug complex optical systems in laboratory environments and support product qualification activities.

Qualifications

• Master's or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or a related technical discipline (or equivalent industry experience).
• 3+ years of experience developing high-precision optical systems for commercial products or advanced research applications.
• Strong experience designing imaging and illumination optical systems that meet performance, manufacturability, and cost objectives.
• Expertise in:
  
  • Optical system design
  • Precision optical alignment
  • Optical metrology
  • Statistical tolerance analysis
  • Optical calibration
• Experience developing specifications for precision opto-mechanical assemblies.
• Proficiency with optical design and simulation tools such as:
  
  • Zemax OpticStudio
  • Code V
  • LightTools
• Experience performing non-sequential ray tracing, stray light analysis, scattering analysis, and illumination modeling.
• Hands-on experience building, aligning, integrating, and debugging optical modules and complete optical systems.
• Experience designing optical test stands, calibration systems, and measurement fixtures.
• Strong understanding of:
  
  • Geometrical optics
  • Fourier optics
  • Optical imaging systems
  • Optical aberrations
  • Polarization
  • Radiometry
  • Illumination optics
• Experience working with optical components including:
  
  • Objectives
  • Relay optics
  • Collimators
  • Diffractive optical elements (CGH)
  • Fiber optics
  • Cameras
  • Lasers
  • Optical detectors
• Programming experience using MATLAB and/or Python for data analysis, modeling, and automation.

Preferred Skills

• Product development experience for precision optical instruments or semiconductor equipment.
• Experience developing optical metrology or microscopy systems.
• High-precision optical manufacturing and assembly experience.
• Cross-functional collaboration with systems, mechanical, software, manufacturing, and supplier engineering teams.
• Strong analytical problem-solving and troubleshooting skills.
• Excellent technical communication and presentation abilities.
• Ability to independently lead complex optical development projects from concept through production.

Compensation: Base salary is competitive and determined based on experience, qualifications, location, and internal equity. Comprehensive benefits and performance-based incentives are