Development Engineer – Optical Prototyping & PoC Lead

AddOptics; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

AddOptics in Rotterdam, NL is seeking a Development Engineer who will lead customer-facing projects from initial contact to final delivery. You will validate designs, build and test prototypes, and guide PoC iterations with a focus on clear technical communication and reliable follow-through.

You will own projects end-to-end, collaborate with Sales, and translate customer needs into actionable engineering work, ensuring a trusted partnership and fast, rigorous iterations.

Qualifications

• 3–7 years in a customer-facing technical role (applications engineering, technical project management, field engineering, or similar).
• Experience guiding customers through a structured technical or development process (PoC, qualification, NPI, or equivalent).
• Strong project ownership with proactive communication and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Hones hands-on engineering work: assess customer lens designs, prototype tests, and validate performance against specs.
• Lead customer development projects end to end — from initial technical intake and feasibility assessment through PoC, iteration, and final delivery.
• Run the PoC process: help customers understand feasibility, what needs to change, and what results mean for next steps.
• Be the primary engineering contact for customers throughout the project—build trust via technical credibility, clear communication, and reliable follow-through.
• Work closely with Sales to manage the customer relationship: understand priorities, manage expectations, and know when to evacuate.
• Drive fast, structured iteration cycles — translate test feedback into engineering action and turn around the next prototype without losing rigour.
• Translate between customer needs, design, and manufacturing capabilities.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of processes, documentation, and customer handover.

Skills

Customer-facing role

Project ownership

Optical engineering

PoC process

Education

BSc or MSc in Engineering, Applied Physics, Optical Engineering

Job description

AddOptics in Rotterdam, NL is seeking a Development Engineer who will lead customer-facing projects from initial contact to final delivery. You will validate designs, build and test prototypes, and guide PoC iterations with a focus on clear technical communication and reliable follow-through.

You will own projects end-to-end, collaborate with Sales, and translate customer needs into actionable engineering work, ensuring a trusted partnership and fast, rigorous iterations.