Optical Design Engineer — Ophthalmic Systems

AddOptics; Rotterdam; On-site; EUR 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

AddOptics in Rotterdam seeks an Ophthalmic Optical Designer who can turn Rx specifications into manufacturable lens designs. You will own projects end to end, moving from concept through production-ready specs while advising the engineering team on optical feasibility.

The role requires 5+ years in optical design, hands-on multi-element lenses, and fluency with ophthalmic terminology. You’ll work with suppliers and metrology setups, ensuring designs meet tolerances and cost targets across the

Qualifications

• 5+ years of optical design in ophthalmics.
• Fluent in lens terminology — sphere, cylinder, axis, prism, add power.
• Experience translating Rx to manufacturable designs.
• Experience with optics metrology and production handoff.

Responsibilities

• Translate Rx specifications into manufacturable optical designs.
• Bridge ophthalmic requirements with engineering teams.
• Guide designs through feasibility to production-ready specs.
• Advise engineers on optical feasibility.
• Collaborate with suppliers to ensure producibility.
• Set up optical metrology and QC processes.
• Improve documentation and handoff within the team.

Skills

Optical design

Ophthalmic knowledge

Multi-element systems

Strong communication

Education

Degree in Optical Engineering

Tools

OpticStudio (Zemax)

CODE V

Job description

From Prescription to Product

Location: Rotterdam, NL Commitment: Full time Experience: 5+ years

You speak optics and ophthalmic fluently — and you know how to turn that into something real. At AddOptics, we develop next-generation ophthalmic and vision solutions. We're a small, driven tech team where every person owns their domain end to end.

We're looking for an Ophthalmic Optical Designer who combines strong optical design skills with deep knowledge of the vision industry — someone who can move from an Rx specification to a manufacturable lens design, and who can advise our engineering team with the confidence of someone who's done it before.

This is a product role. The designs you create will ship.

What You’ll Be Working On

• Taking an ophthalmic brief — from Rx specification to product requirement — and turning it into a complete, manufacturable optical design

• Being the bridge between the ophthalmic world and the engineering team: translating prescription parameters into physical lens properties, and explaining trade-offs in terms engineers can act on

• Making optical design decisions across the full product lifecycle — from initial feasibility through to production-ready specs

• Advising engineers on customer projects with timely, practical guidance on what's optically achievable and what isn't

• Working with suppliers and manufacturing partners to ensure designs are producible within tolerance and at cost

• Setting up optical metrology and quality control processes from the ground up — defining how performance is measured and accepted at each production stage, making the in/out-of-spec calls, and building the optical knowledge of the engineering team over time

• Continuously improving how optical design is documented, specified, and handed off within the team

What We’re Looking For

• 5+ years of experience in optical design, with a meaningful portion in the ophthalmic industry

• Fluency in ophthalmic lens language — sphere, cylinder, axis, prism, add power — and what these mean in physical terms

• Hands-on experience designing multi-element optical systems, lens stacks, and ophthalmic products

• Proficiency in OpticStudio (Zemax), CODE V, or equivalent optical design software

• A practical DFM mindset — you design with the factory in mind from day one

• Strong communication skills — you can advise engineers who don't share your background without losing accuracy

• A degree in Optical Engineering, Applied Physics, or a related field

The Kind of Person Who Thrives Here

You've spent enough time in the ophthalmic world to know how prescription becomes product. You enjoy working across disciplines — talking to engineers, understanding manufacturing constraints, and making design calls that balance optical performance with real-world practicality.

What You’ll Get

• A high-ownership, high-impact role in a growing deep tech company

• The opportunity to be the go-to optical voice in a growing company

• Close collaboration with a sharp, cross-functional team that respects domain expertise

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

• Competitive salary and benefits