Optical Design Engineer

Settels Savenije Group of Companies; Eindhoven; On-site; EUR 56,000 - 84,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

State-of-the-art premises

Modern factory and cleanrooms

Collaboration with international OEMs

Competitive salary

Job summary

Settels Savenije invites an Optical Design Engineer to join our R&D team to design, simulate and optimise optical systems for high‑tech semiconductor equipment.

You will work at the intersection of optical design, optomechanical engineering and system integration, collaborating with mechanical engineers, system architects and software developers to bring advanced optical concepts from principle study to industrialised product.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics or related field.
• Minimum 5 years of optical design and simulation experience.
• Proficiency with ray tracing tools (Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, LightTools or similar).
• Strong knowledge of geometrical and physical optics, radiometry and materials.
• Experience with optomechanical integration, tolerance budgeting and thermal–mechanical analysis.
• CAD familiarity (NX or Creo) and GD&T.
• Programming in Python or MATLAB for automation and data analysis.
• Strong analytical and documentation skills.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimise optical systems including imaging optics and laser-based assemblies.
• Perform detailed optical simulations: ray tracing, wavefront, stray light and tolerance analyses.
• Develop optomechanical designs with mechanical engineers under thermal and vibrational loads.
• Define optical specs, test plans and acceptance criteria for prototyping and production.
• Conduct experimental validation with interferometers, wavefront sensors, beam profilers and power meters.
• Support transition from concept to industrialisation and supplier engagement for components.
• Document design choices, simulation results and test reports clearly.

Skills

Ray tracing

Geometrical optics

Optomechanical integration

Python

MATLAB

Documentation

Problem solving

Education

Master's degree in Optical Engineering

Physics or related field

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

CODE V

LightTools

FRED

NX

Creo

Job description

We are looking for an Optical Design Engineer to join our Research & Development team. In this role, you will be responsible for the design, simulation and optimisation of optical systems for high-tech semiconductor equipment. You will work at the intersection of optical design, optomechanical engineering and system integration, collaborating closely with mechanical engineers, system architects and software developers to bring advanced optical concepts from principle study to industrialised product.

Settels Savenije invents, designs, industrializes and manufactures high-precision systems for a select group of international OEM clients in the semiconductor industry. Your work will directly contribute to the optical performance of systems that operate at the forefront of technology.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimise optical systems including imaging optics, illumination systems and laser-based assemblies, using ray tracing software (e.g. Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, LightTools or FRED)
• Perform detailed optical simulations, including ray trace analysis, wavefront analysis, stray light analysis and tolerance analysis
• Develop optomechanical designs in collaboration with mechanical engineers, ensuring precise control of the position and shape of optical elements under thermal and vibrational loads
• Define optical specifications, test plans and acceptance criteria for both prototyping and series production
• Conduct experimental validation of optical performance in the lab, using interferometers, wavefront sensors, beam profilers and power meters
• Support the transition from concept design to industrialisation, including design-for-manufacturability reviews and supplier engagement for custom optical components
• Document design choices, simulation results and test reports in a structured and traceable manner

Requirements

• Master's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics or a related technical field
• Minimum 5 years of experience in optical design and simulation for high-precision systems
• Proficiency in at least one industry-standard ray tracing tool (Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, LightTools or equivalent)
• Solid understanding of geometrical optics, physical optics, radiometry and optical materials
• Experience with optomechanical integration, including tolerance budgeting and thermal‑mechanical analysis
• Familiarity with CAD packages (e.g. NX or Creo) and GD&T
• Programming skills in Python or MATLAB for simulation automation and data analysis
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving abilities, with a structured approach to documentation

What we offer

• A position at a high‑tech engineering company with 165+ colleagues and 13 nationalities, located at Strijp‑T in Eindhoven
• State‑of‑the‑art premises covering offices, a modern factory and cleanrooms
• Competitive salary in the range of € 5.000 – € 7.500, depending on experience
• Opportunities for personal development and technical leadership in a multidisciplinary R&D environment
• Collaboration with international OEM clients at the forefront of semiconductor technology