Senior optical system engineer

Prodrive Technologies; Eindhoven; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary growth based on performance

33 vacation days per year

Flexible working hours

Time-for-time compensation for extra

Growth and learning plan

Extensive career opportunities

Company gym access

Free lunch and snacks on-site

Job summary

Prodrive Technologies is expanding its optical metrology team to drive end-to-end design, testing, and production of advanced optical and system-level solutions. You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and customers to translate complex challenges into manufacturable designs and contribute to future Architect-level growth.

The role emphasizes experimental design, data analysis, and scripting in Python, MATLAB, and Git, with a focus on continuous improvement and robust validation

Qualifications

• Hands-on experience with experimental design, testing, and data analysis.
• Strong multidisciplinary engineering mindset across optics, mechanics, electronics, and software.
• Ability to translate complex technical challenges into robust, manufacturable designs.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to the definition, refinement, and negotiation of optical and system requirements with multidisciplinary project teams and customers
• Translate conceptual requirements and customer needs into measurable engineering specifications and design constraints
• Design, execute, and analyze functional tests, assembly verification tests, and concept validation experiments to support product development and performance optimization
• Take end-to-end ownership of designed modules or subsystems, from concept and design through assembly, testing, validation, and production release
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives based on experimental findings, manufacturing feedback, and system performance data
• Support system integration and verification by contributing to automated testing activities in a pytest environment
• Document technical work clearly and communicate complex technical challenges to both internal and external stakeholders

Skills

Python

MATLAB

Git

Experiment design

Education

Bachelor's or Master's degree in (Technical) Physics, Optical Engineering, Opto-mechanical Engineering

Tools

Zemax

Job description

At Prodrive Technologies we develop and manufacture high-tech solutions that push the boundaries of innovation. The Precision Solutions program delivers leading technologies and integrated systems that enable customers to realize high-precision applications. We leverage our expertise, capabilities, and product portfolio to serve key markets such as semiconductors, life sciences, and medical.

About

About the role

We are entering new markets where the limits of optical metrology are pushed. To meet the state-of-the-art we are expanding our team of optical experts. In this role you' will drive the development of innovative optical and system-level solutions by taking end-to-end ownership from requirement definition through design, testing, validation, and production. You will collaborate across multidisciplinary teams and customers to translate complex technical challenges into robust, manufacturable designs for integrated solutions while continuously advancing towards an Architect role. You will leverage expertise in optical experimentation, data analysis, programming, and systems testing to deliver high-quality, reliable products and contribute to the technical growth of both projects and the organization.

Responsibilities

Key responsibilities

• Contribute to the definition, refinement, and negotiation of optical and system requirements with multidisciplinary project teams and customers


• Translate conceptual requirements and customer needs into measurable engineering specifications and design constraints


• Design, execute, and analyze functional tests, assembly verification tests, and concept validation experiments to support product development and performance optimization


• Take end-to-end ownership of designed modules or subsystems, from concept and design through assembly, testing, validation, and production release


• Drive continuous improvement initiatives based on experimental findings, manufacturing feedback, and system performance data


• Support system integration and verification by contributing to automated testing activities in a pytest environment.


• Document technical work clearly and communicate complex technical challenges to both internal and external stakeholders

What We Offer

• Performance-based salary growth that rewards your results


• 33 vacation days per year, including public holidays


• Flexible working hours


• Time-for-time compensation when working extra hours


• Strong focus on personal development, supported by a tailored growth and learning plan


• Extensive career opportunities, with progression across a wide range of functions and projects


• A young, entrepreneurial, and innovative company culture where initiative is encouraged


• Free access to the company gym


• Free lunch, dinner and healthy snacks available every day on-site

What You Bring

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in (Technical) Physics, Optical Engineering, Opto-mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field


• Confident contributor in technical discussions. You challenge assumptions constructively, provide well-founded technical opinions, and is willing to push back when necessary to ensure the best engineering decisions are made


• Strong multidisciplinary engineering mindset, with a solid understanding of the interactions between optics, mechanics, electronics, and software in the context of high-tech system engineering. You formulate well-structured requirements that other engineers can design against


• Hands‑on experience with experimental design, testing, and data analysis. You feel comfortable in defining experiments, interpreting results, and translating findings into improvements. Experience with optical design and simulation tools such as Zemax is considered a strong advantage


• Programming and automation skills, with proficiency in Python, MATLAB, and Git. You can develop structured, maintainable scripts and tools for data analysis, testing, and system validation


• You deliver clear and comprehensive documentation, report technical findings, and communicate complex challenges and trade-offs to both technical and non-technical stakeholders, internally and externally


• Proactive and self-driven professional who takes ownership of tasks, actively seeks information, and independently drives issues to closure. You demonstrate curiosity, initiative, and a continuous learning mindset


• You are comfortable working in an innovative and rapidly evolving environment, balancing technical depth with flexibility and adaptability while maintaining a structured approach to execution