Optical system engineer - Pico - San Jose

ByteDance; San Jose (CA); On-site; USD 126,000 - 306,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in the VR/AR sector is seeking an Optical Systems Engineer to join their innovative team in San Jose. The role involves developing cutting-edge display optics systems for augmented reality applications and collaborating with cross-functional teams. Candidates should have a strong background in optical engineering and relevant industry experience. Join us to shape the future of immersive technology!

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance

401(k) savings plan with company match

Paid parental leave

Short-term and long-term disability coverage

Life insurance

Wellbeing benefits

10 paid holidays per year

10 paid sick days per year

17 days of Paid Personal Time

Qualifications

• 3+ years of industry experience working on optical systems.
• Experience in optical design software and cross-functional team collaboration.

Responsibilities

• Develop display optics systems for augmented reality applications.
• Work closely with external partners to develop state-of-the-art display optics systems.

Skills

Optical System Engineering

Collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering

Tools

Zemax

Code V

LightTool

Job description

Optical system engineer - Pico - San Jose

Join to apply for the Optical system engineer - Pico - San Jose role at ByteDance

Optical system engineer - Pico - San Jose

Join to apply for the Optical system engineer - Pico - San Jose role at ByteDance

Get AI-powered advice on this job and more exclusive features.

Responsibilities

About the team:

As a world-renowned VR/AR brand with independent innovation and R&D capabilities, Pico has been at the forefront of the consumer electronic market. We have teams in Northern America, Europe, Japan and South Korea. We are looking for a creative Optical Systems Engineer to join us to build our AR/VR display optics system team, to develop and lead new optical module development for Pico products.

Responsibilities:

• Develop display optics systems for augmented reality applications
• Identify new concepts and system architectures to improve optical performance and system cost
• Build innovative display optics system prototypes
• Work closely across optics, mechanics, perceptual scientists, and other cross-functional teams to define, develop, simulate, and realize a variety of optical systems
• Work closely with external partners to identify, define, develop, test, and deploy state-of-the-art display optics systems
• Work with product teams to define product-level requirements and optical system requirements
• Manage and execute technology and product subsystem development processes, from exploration, to definition, specification, architecture, design, verification and production.
  
  

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or a related technical
  
  

discipline or equivalent experience.

• 3+ years of industry experience working on optical systems.
• Demonstrated history of optical system engineering and cross-functional product development.
• Experience working with uncertainty and directing cross-functional teams to manage the risk portfolio at different stages of product development.
• Experience in optical design software (e.g. Zemax, Code V, LightTool, etc.).
• Experience in at least one of the following: Imaging optics design, varifocal optical system, light-field display, computer generated holography.
• Experience communicating and collaborating in a cross-functional team environment.
  
  

Preferred Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in optical engineering, physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in developing and launching products in relevant fields in consumer electronics
• 5+ years of industry experience.
• Experience working in a fast-paced startup environment.
  
  

Job Information

【For Pay Transparency】Compensation Description (Annually)

The base salary range for this position in the selected city is $126000 - $306000 annually.

Compensation may vary outside of this range depending on a number of factors, including a candidate’s qualifications, skills, competencies and experience, and location. Base pay is one part of the Total Package that is provided to compensate and recognize employees for their work, and this role may be eligible for additional discretionary bonuses/incentives, and restricted stock units.

Benefits may vary depending on the nature of employment and the country work location. Employees have day one access to medical, dental, and vision insurance, a 401(k) savings plan with company match, paid parental leave, short-term and long-term disability coverage, life insurance, wellbeing benefits, among others. Employees also receive 10 paid holidays per year, 10 paid sick days per year and 17 days of Paid Personal Time (prorated upon hire with increasing accruals by tenure).

The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits programs at any time, with or without notice.

For Los Angeles County (unincorporated) Candidates:

Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with all federal, state, and local laws including the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers and the California Fair Chance Act. Our company believes that criminal history may have a direct, adverse and negative relationship on the following job duties, potentially resulting in the withdrawal of the conditional offer of employment:

• Interacting and occasionally having unsupervised contact with internal/external clients and/or colleagues;
• Appropriately handling and managing confidential information including proprietary and trade secret information and access to information technology systems; and
• Exercising sound judgment.
  
  

About Pico

Founded in April 2015, Pico is a VR company committed to developing immersive and interactive VR experiences for people around the world. Pico also provides tailor-made solutions for our enterprise clients in the fields of education and healthcare.

Why Join ByteDance

Inspiring creativity is at the core of ByteDance's mission. Our innovative products are built to help people authentically express themselves, discover and connect – and our global, diverse teams make that possible. Together, we create value for our communities, inspire creativity and enrich life - a mission we work towards every day.

As ByteDancers, we strive to do great things with great people. We lead with curiosity, humility, and a desire to make impact in a rapidly growing tech company. By constantly iterating and fostering an "Always Day 1" mindset, we achieve meaningful breakthroughs for ourselves, our Company, and our users. When we create and grow together, the possibilities are limitless. Join us.

Diversity & Inclusion

ByteDance is committed to creating an inclusive space where employees are valued for their skills, experiences, and unique perspectives. Our platform connects people from across the globe and so does our workplace. At ByteDance, our mission is to inspire creativity and enrich life. To achieve that goal, we are committed to celebrating our diverse voices and to creating an environment that reflects the many communities we reach. We are passionate about this and hope you are too.

Reasonable Accommodation

ByteDance is committed to providing reasonable accommodations in our recruitment processes for candidates with disabilities, pregnancy, sincerely held religious beliefs or other reasons protected by applicable laws. If you need assistance or a reasonable accommodation, please reach out to us at https://tinyurl.com/RA-request

Seniority level

• Seniority level

  Mid-Senior level

Employment type

• Employment type

  Full-time

Job function

• Job function

  Information Technology

• Industries

  Software Development

Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at ByteDance by 2x

Get notified about new System Engineer jobs in San Jose, CA.

Software Engineer - Datacenter networking

Internship, System Software Engineer, System Software (Fall 2025)

San Jose, CA $130,000.00-$182,000.00 3 months ago

Fremont, CA $150,000.00-$160,000.00 1 month ago

Livermore, CA $100,000.00-$180,000.00 1 week ago

Engineering Technician, Test Systems Engineering

Fremont, CA $163,000.00-$225,000.00 4 days ago

Software Engineer - Datacenter networking

San Jose, CA $113,400.00-$206,300.00 1 week ago

Software Engineer - Datacenter networking

We’re unlocking community knowledge in a new way. Experts add insights directly into each article, started with the help of AI.