Optical Systems Engineer - Biotech Calibrations

DutchTechX; Emeryville (CA); On-site; USD 115,000 - 175,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Medical insurance

Dental and vision insurance

Flexible PTO

Team lunches

Job summary

Prolific Machines seeks an Optical Engineer to own calibration and optical characterization of illumination hardware. You will collaborate with hardware, data, biology, and bioprocess teams to link light delivery with cell culture performance and system design.

The role is on-site in Emeryville, CA, with opportunities to drive simulations, modeling, prototyping, and experiments to improve illumination systems and enable faster, cheaper therapeutics manufacturing.

Qualifications

• PhD, MS with 2+ years, or BS with 4+ years in Optical Engineering, Optical Sciences, Photonics, Physics, Applied Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or related field.
• Strong foundation in optics including geometric optics, radiometry, and optical measurement techniques.
• Hands-on experience setting up, aligning, characterizing, and troubleshooting optical systems in a lab.
• Experience developing and executing calibration procedures for illumination systems, optical components, and sensors.
• Experience using optical measurement equipment such as spectrometers, photodiodes, power meters, cameras, or related instrumentation.
• Experience with light sources and optical delivery components (LEDs, lasers, fiber optics).
• Proficiency with Python for instrument control, automation, data analysis, modeling, and visualization.

Responsibilities

• Own and continuously improve calibration systems and processes for illumination hardware.
• Support optical simulation and modeling efforts with measurements, analysis, and prototypes.
• Develop and execute experiments to characterize light delivery within bioreactor geometries and operating conditions.
• Collaborate across mechanical, electrical, firmware, data, biology, and bioprocess engineering to connect optical performance with cell culture behavior.
• Contribute to projects that deepen understanding of light, bioreactor environments, and biological response.

Skills

Optics fundamentals

Python

Calibration procedures

Instrumentation

Data analysis

Experiment design

System integration

Education

PhD, MS with 2+ years, or BS with 4+ years

Tools

Spectrometers

Photodiodes

Power meters

Cameras

Light delivery components (LEDs, lasers)

Job description

Prolific Machines seeks an Optical Engineer to own calibration and optical characterization of illumination hardware. You will collaborate with hardware, data, biology, and bioprocess teams to link light delivery with cell culture performance and system design.

The role is on-site in Emeryville, CA, with opportunities to drive simulations, modeling, prototyping, and experiments to improve illumination systems and enable faster, cheaper therapeutics manufacturing.