Manager, Optical Engineering

Alcon; Fort Worth (TX); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Retirement Plan

Flexible time off

Travel up to 5%

Job summary

Alcon Fort Worth, Texas is seeking an Optical Engineering Manager to lead multiple teams focused on designing, developing, and testing optical systems and components. You will balance technical leadership with managerial duties to drive innovation and deliver product excellence.

You’ll lead cross‑functional collaboration with hardware, software, and metrology groups within the Advanced Optics Technologies team, while mentoring engineers and shaping project priorities.

Qualifications

• 7 years of relevant experience in optical engineering.
• 5 years of demonstrated leadership.
• Preferred: practical experience with optical metrology and alignment tools for measurement and qualification of optical systems and subsystems.
• Proficiency with OpticStudio/Zemax; FRED, MATLAB, and Python strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the optical systems engineering team within a multidisciplinary function, collaborating with hardware and software to design, build, and field optical instruments and clinical devices.
• Serve as the technical authority for optical system design, tolerancing, analysis, build, and qualification across a broad portfolio.
• Act as a player-coach with 60–70% leadership and 30–40% hands-on technical contribution on critical design work.
• Mentor team members and raise the technical bar through design reviews and demonstrations.

Skills

Leadership

Mentoring

Technical leadership

Communication

English proficiency

Education

Bachelor's Degree or Equivalent

Tools

OpticStudio/Zemax

FRED

MATLAB

Python

Job description

At Alcon, we're passionate about enhancing sight and helping people see brilliantly. With more than 25,000 associates, we innovate fearlessly, champion progress, and act swiftly to impact global eye health. We foster an inclusive culture, recognizing your contributions and offering opportunities to grow your career like never before. Together, we make a difference in the lives of our patients and customers. Are you ready to join us?

The Optical Engineering Manager is part of Alcon's Engineering function, a team focused on improving quality, processes, products, packaging and materials across our business to help deliver brilliant outcomes. The Manager, Optical Engineering (Management Path) is primarily responsible for leading multiple teams in designing, developing, and testing optical systems and components. You will balance technical leadership with managerial duties, ensuring teams have the support, tools, and processes to drive innovation and maintain product excellence.

This role is on-site in our Fort Worth, Texas location and a typical day would include:

• Lead the optical systems engineering team within a multidisciplinary engineering function, partnering with hardware (mechanical, electrical) and software engineering to design, build, and field optical instruments and clinical devices.
• Operate as an integral part of Alcon’s Advanced Optics Technologies (AOT) group, connecting integrated optical systems engineering with AOT capabilities in optical design, metrology, vision science, and advanced analysis.
• Enable next-generation intraocular lens (IOL) and contact lens (CL) innovation by developing reusable optical instruments, metrology platforms, test methods, and clinical evaluation technologies that serve both product portfolios.
• Serve as the technical authority for optical system design, tolerancing, analysis, build, and qualification across a portfolio that ranges from early-stage R&D test beds to GxP systems used in manufacturing and clinical studies.
• Operate as a player-coach: approximately 60 to 70% leading, directing, and developing the team, and 30 to 40% hands-on technical contribution on the most critical design and analysis work.
• Raise the technical bar of the team through hands-on design review, demonstration, and mentoring grounded in direct personal experience.

What You’ll Bring to Alcon:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent years of directly related experience (or high school +15 yrs; Assoc.+11 yrs; M.S.+4 yrs; PhD+3 yrs)
• The ability to fluently read, write, understand and communicate in English
• 7 Years of Relevant Experience
• 5 Years of Demonstrated Leadership
• Preferred Qualifications: Practical experience with optical metrology and alignment tools for measurement and qualification of optical systems and subsystems.
• Proficiency with OpticStudio/Zemax; FRED, MATLAB, and Python strongly preferred
• Lead, mentor, and set priorities for a team of optical engineers, metrology engineers, and optical systems technicians with diverse backgrounds and experience levels.

Benefits

• Health
• Life
• Retirement
• Flexible time off
• Much more
• Travel - up to 5%
• Sponsorship - No
• Relocation - No
• Alcon Careers

How You Can Thrive at Alcon

See your career like never before with focused growth and development opportunities Join Alcon’s mission to provide outstanding, innovative products and solutions to improve sight, improve lives, and grow your career!

ALCON IS AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER AND PARTICIPATES IN E-VERIFY

Alcon takes pride in maintaining an inclusive environment that values different perspectives and our policies are non-discriminatory in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status.

Alcon is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.