Application Engineer

Inlighten Technologies; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision insurance

401(k) retirement plan

Paid holidays and vacation

Employee stock option plan

Job summary

Inlighten Technologies, a Silicon Valley startup, seeks an Application Engineer to bridge display technology with system integration for AR glasses platforms. You will collaborate with display, optical, electrical, and software teams, support customers, develop demos, and create technical collateral while resolving hardware-software issues in complex optoelectronic systems.

The role requires hands-on debugging, field support, and travel up to 50% including international events, in a fast-paced

Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 3+ years hands-on experience with displays, LEDs, optoelectronics, or semiconductor devices.
• 5+ years experience in display systems, AR/VR devices, or optoelectronic hardware integration.
• Experience supporting demo environments, developer hardware, or XR prototypes.
• Strong understanding of display technology, light engines, and waveguide optics.

Responsibilities

• Provide guidance to customers on light engine design concepts for AR display systems.
• Offer expert technical support addressing field issues and partner management with sales.
• Create technical collateral (notes, white papers, training materials) and reference designs.
• Develop customer demos to promote product features and benefits.
• Serve as primary technical contact for key customers through the product lifecycle.
• Diagnose display-related hardware–software issues with software/firmware teams.
• Provide timely resolution to inquiries and ensure customer satisfaction.
• Give feedback to design teams to improve manufacturability and integration.

Skills

Displays & optoelectronics

Debug hardware-software

Embedded interfaces (MIPI SPI I2C)

Customer support & field applications

Education

BS/MS in Electrical/Optical Engineering or Physics

Tools

Python

MATLAB

C/C++

Spectrometers

Job description

About the Company

Inlighten Technologies is a Silicon Valley startup developing next-generation microLED technologies for augmented reality (AR) and AI-powered smart glasses. Our mission is to push the limits of microLED performance and manufacturing, enabling scalable, mass-market production. Join us to help create the displays that will power the future of immersive computing.

Description

We are seeking an Application Engineer who can bridge the gap between display technology and system integration. You'll work closely with display, optical, electrical, and software teams - as well as external partners to integrate, test, and optimize our microLED displays within AR glasses platforms.

The ideal candidate understands how displays and light engines interact with optical systems, has a strong grasp of waveguides, and is experienced in debugging hardware–software issues in complex optoelectronic systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide guidance and consult with customers on light engine design concepts and solutions to optimize their AR display system performance.
• Provide expert technical support to Inlighten customers, addressing field application issues, system performance troubleshooting, system solutions design-in support, and partner management in collaboration with the sales organization.
• Create technical collateral in cooperation with the product marketing team, including application notes, white papers, PowerPoint training modules, performance calculators, and reference designs that demonstrate the value proposition and competitive advantage of Inlighten products for target applications.
• Develop customer demos that effectively promote key features and benefits of our products.
• Serve as the primary technical point of contact for key customers, providing guidance and support throughout the product development lifecycle.
• Provide timely resolution to customer inquiries, issues and concerns, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with software and firmware teams to diagnose and resolve display-related issues (timing, drivers, communication, image artifacts, etc.).
• Support customer and partner engagements by demonstrating system functionality and addressing technical inquiries.
• Provide timely resolution to customer inquiries, issues and concerns, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Provide feedback to design teams to improve manufacturability, reliability, and integration readiness.

Minimum Qualifications

• BS/MS in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 3+ years of hands-on experience working with displays, LEDs, optoelectronics, or semiconductor devices.
• 5+ years of experience in display systems, AR/VR devices, or optoelectronic hardware integration.
• Prior experience supporting demo environments, developer hardware, or early-stage XR prototypes.
• Strong understanding of display technology, light engines, and waveguide optics.
• Proficiency in debugging hardware-software interactions - familiarity with firmware, display drivers, and embedded interfaces (MIPI, SPI, I2C, etc.).

• Must be professional, detailed, customer-oriented, self-driven and able to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams to meet customer needs.
• Excellent problem-solving skills and ability to thrive in a startup environment where priorities evolve quickly.
• Strong ability to influence with excellent interpersonal skills and ability to analyze, summarize, and communicate efficiently (written and verbal) in a multicultural environment.

• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time (including international events).

Preferred Qualifications

• Advanced degree (MS or PhD) in a relevant field of study.
• Previous work in commercially available AR glasses
• Comfortable with Python, MATLAB, or C/C++ for data analysis.
• Hands-on experience with optical testing equipment (spectrometers, cameras, light measurement tools).
• Pre-sale and marketing experience.
• System/Architecture experience.

Benefits & Perks

• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision insurance.
• 401(k) retirement plan.
• Paid holidays and vacation.
• Employee stock option plan.

Equal Employment Opportunity

Inlighten Technologies is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to inclusion and diversity. We promote equal opportunity for all applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected characteristics.