Optical Prototype & R&D Engineer

Picarro; Santa Clara (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K

Paid time off

Paid holidays

Life insurance

Disability insurance

Job summary

Picarro in Santa Clara, CA, is seeking a Product Development Engineer (R&D) to transform novel optical concepts into production-ready laser-based systems. You will contribute across the development lifecycle, prototyping and transitioning benchtop experiments to pilot production, collaborating with cross-functional teams.

You will design, build and test advanced optical prototypes, troubleshoot electro-optomechanical assemblies and PCBs, and develop test plans.

Qualifications

• Three to five years direct experience in electro-optomechanical testing and prototype development.
• Ability to lay out, assemble, and align complex optical benchtop setups.
• Solid knowledge of optical principles including aberrations, polarization, and light propagation.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to opto-mechanical design and development of advanced optical systems, from prototyping to pilot production.
• Prepare SOPs reflecting current methodologies and establish testing stations and staff training.
• Evaluate and select optical, mechanical, and electro-optical components with performance, cost, and manufacturability in mind.
• Address technical challenges with strong analytical problem-solving in a dynamic R&D environment.

Skills

Electro-optomechanical testing

Prototype development

System design

Troubleshooting PCBs/circuits

Optical alignment

Test plan development

Metrology for optics

Written and verbal communication

Independent / team collaboration

Scripting for data analysis/instrument

Education

Bachelor’s or Master’s in Optical/Electrical Engineering or Physics

Tools

COTS vs custom optical components

Optical components selection

Job description

Picarro in Santa Clara, CA, is seeking a Product Development Engineer (R&D) to transform novel optical concepts into production-ready laser-based systems. You will contribute across the development lifecycle, prototyping and transitioning benchtop experiments to pilot production, collaborating with cross-functional teams.

You will design, build and test advanced optical prototypes, troubleshoot electro-optomechanical assemblies and PCBs, and develop test plans.