Development Engineer — Optical Systems

AddOptics; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

AddOptics in Rotterdam seeks a Development Engineer to own the full journey from feasibility to a delivered prototype. You will work directly with our customers' engineers, addressing optical and mechanical challenges and ensuring designs are buildable.

Requirements include 3–7 years in development, strong optics/mechanics understanding, and a degree in Mechanical, Optical Engineering or Mechatronics. You’ll join a team that values ownership, rigorous testing, and close collaboration with R&D

Qualifications

• 3–7 years of hands-on experience in development projects.
• Solid understanding of optical and mechanical systems.
• Experience assessing manufacturability and translating design intent into buildable solutions.
• Bachelor/Master in Mechanical, Optical, or Mechatronics.

Responsibilities

• Own development projects from feasibility to prototype delivery.
• Work with optical components, assemblies, and integration challenges.
• Set up measurement and verification methods for prototypes.
• Serve as technical point of contact for customer engineering teams.
• Collaborate with R&D and product teams.

Skills

Optical engineering

Mechanical systems

Manufacturability assessment

Cross-discipline collaboration

Documentation & process

Customer communication

Education

BSc/MSc in Mechanical/Optical Engineering

Mechatronics

Job description

Own the Build. Solve the Real Problems.

Location: Rotterdam, NL Commitment: Full time Experience: 3+ years

Some engineers like to stay in the design phase. You're not one of them.

At AddOptics, we work with R&D and product development teams from some of the most innovative companies in eyewear, consumer electronics, and critical technologies. They come to us with a device concept and a lens design — and they need to know if it works before they commit to production. That's where you come in.

As a Development Engineer, you own the full journey from feasibility to delivered prototype. You dig into the technical challenges, figure out what's buildable, and find the solutions that make a concept real. You'll work directly with our customers' engineers and be the technical backbone of the projects you run.

What You’ll Be Working On

• Assessing the technical feasibility and manufacturability of customer lens designs — understanding what works, what doesn't, and why

• Owning development projects end to end: from first technical review through PoC, iteration, and final prototype delivery

• Working hands-on with optical components, assemblies, and integration challenges — figuring out how lenses interact with the customer's broader device

• Identifying and solving manufacturing constraints early, before they become expensive problems downstream

• Running structured iterations based on customer test feedback — adapting quickly without losing engineering rigour

• Setting up and applying measurement and verification methods to validate prototype performance

• Being the technical point of contact for our customer's engineering team throughout the project

What We’re Looking For

• 3–7 years of hands-on experience in development projects, product development, or precision manufacturing

• A solid understanding of optical and mechanical systems — you know how components interact in the real world, not just on paper

• Experience assessing manufacturability and translating design intent into something that can actually be built

• Comfort working at the interface of optics, mechanics, and assembly — this is rarely a single-discipline problem

• Methodical, structured thinking — you document your process, your decisions, and your results

• Clear communication with external stakeholders — you can explain a technical trade-off to a customer engineer without losing the detail that matters

• A BSc or MSc in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related field

The Kind of Person Who Thrives Here

You're energised by the moment a design goes from concept to something you can hold and test. You take ownership seriously — not because someone's watching, but because you care about the outcome. You're rigorous without being slow, and you know that a good prototype isn't just one that works in the lab — it's one that teaches the customer something.

What You’ll Get

• Full ownership of your projects, from technical kickoff to customer delivery

• Direct collaboration with leading R&D and product teams in optics and vision technology

• A close-knit team where people genuinely know and support each other

• We take the work seriously, and we take the time to celebrate what we achieve together

• Competitive salary and benefits

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