Optical Software Engineer

Socket.dev; Cupertino (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Apple's Optical Engineering team within Camera Core Technology is seeking a Simulation Development Engineer who will lead state‑of‑the‑art end‑to‑end modeling and simulation for optical imaging systems. You will collaborate with cross‑functional partners to provide early feedback to product design and scale up simulation pipelines for future technologies.

The role emphasizes self‑driven work, clear communication of findings, and hands‑on validation of tools.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in optics or related field.
• Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, and/or C/C++/C#.
• Experience modeling optical systems using Zemax, Code V, or similar.

Skills

Python

Matlab

C/C++/C#

Presentation

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Optics, Imaging Science, Physics, EE, CS, ME, or relevant field

MS or PhD in Optical Sciences, Imaging Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field

Tools

Zemax

Code V

Git

AWS

GCP

Job description

Apple is where individual imaginations gather together, committing to the values that lead to great work. Every new product we build, service we create, or Apple Store experience we deliver is the result of us making each other’s ideas stronger. That happens because every one of us shares a belief that we can make something wonderful and share it with the world, changing lives for the better. It’s the diversity of our people and their thinking that inspires the innovation that runs through everything we do. When we bring everybody in, we can do the best work of our lives. Here, you’ll do more than join something — you’ll add something.

DESCRIPTION

The Optical Engineering team within Camera Core Technology Engineering is seeking a Simulation Development Engineer who will play a critical role in new optical design throughout the development cycle. This engineer will develop state‑of‑the‑art end‑to‑end modeling and simulation solutions with cross‑functional team members for our Optical Imaging Systems that can facilitate provide early feedback to Apple product design and enable novel simulation pipelines for future technologies. This engineer will also be responsible for validation, application, and scale up of the simulation tools. The ideal candidate is someone that is always striving to learn something new, is a self‑starter and can work autonomously with high levels of success, is excited about solving new challenging problems with innovative solutions, has experience presenting ideas and building consensus with teammates, and thrives in an environment of smart people and loves to challenge the status quo. Come join us!

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Optics, Imaging Science, Physics, EE, CS, ME, or relevant field of study.
• Programming experience (Python, Matlab, and/or C/C++/C#).
• Experience modeling and simulating optical systems using Zemax, Code V, etc.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• MS or PhD in Optical Sciences, Imaging Science, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, or related field 10+ years of relevant industry experience developing software for optical, imaging, or photonics systems
• Proficiency in software engineering best practices: version control (Git), unit testing, CI/CD, release distribution and documentation
• Familiarity with imaging system performance metrics such as PSF, MTF, wavefront error, and optical aberrations
• Experience deploying simulation or modeling workloads on cloud or HPC platforms (AWS, GCP, or equivalent)
• Ability to present technical findings and simulation results to cross‑functional hardware and product teams
• Familiarity with Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, or similar tools; experience scripting or extending these platforms programmatically is a plus