Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer

MKS Inc.; Milpitas (CA); On-site; USD 112,000 - 186,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) match

Paid holidays

Parental leave

Tuition reimbursement

Job summary

MKS Instruments' Spectra-Physics business unit seeks a Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer to design and improve laser systems from concept to production. You will collaborate across functions to deliver robust opto-mechanical assemblies for nanosecond to femtosecond lasers for Industrial, Scientific, and Life/Health markets.

Responsibilities include leading design, testing, root-cause analysis, tools and test strategies, and vendor interactions.

Qualifications

• Degree in Optical/Mechanical Engineering or related field with 3+ years of experience.
• Experience in opto-mechanical design and analysis with SolidWorks.
• Hands-on experience in testing, assembly, alignment, or manufacturing of laser/optical systems.
• Strong system-level troubleshooting and root-cause analysis methods.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, integration, testing, and qualification of laser products.
• Translate requirements into robust opto-mechanical designs considering performance, cost, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Define tooling and test strategies; build prototypes and generate qualification reports.
• Lead root-cause investigations; analyze data to identify trends and corrective actions.
• Collaborate with vendors for procurement and evaluation.

Skills

SolidWorks

Root-cause analysis

System-level troubleshooting

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Optical/Mechanical Engineering or related field

Master’s degree (optional)

Tools

SolidWorks PDM

ZEMAX

FRED

Ansys

Job description

A Day in Your Life at MKS:

Spectra-Physics is the Lasers Business Unit of MKS Instruments. We have an excellent opportunity for someone like you to join our innovative product development engineering team as a Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer. In this position, you will contribute to the design and continuous improvement of laser systems from initial concept through detailed design, integration, and successful product implementation. You will use your system-level engineering skills, practical problem-solving ability, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional team members. We push the boundaries of technology to develop a wide range of nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond lasers that address the needs of Industrial, Scientific, and Life and Health markets. If you have a passion for working with cutting-edge laser systems, this is the role for you.

A Day in Your Life at MKS:

Spectra-Physics is the Lasers Business Unit of MKS Instruments. We have an excellent opportunity for someone like you to join our innovative product development engineering team as a Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer. In this position, you will contribute to the design and continuous improvement of laser systems from initial concept through detailed design, integration, and successful product implementation. You will use your system-level engineering skills, practical problem-solving ability, and excellent interpersonal and communication skills to work effectively with cross-functional team members. We push the boundaries of technology to develop a wide range of nanosecond, picosecond, and femtosecond lasers that address the needs of Industrial, Scientific, and Life and Health markets. If you have a passion for working with cutting-edge laser systems, this is the role for you.

You Will Make an Impact By:

• Lead and support the design, integration, testing, and qualification of laser products and subsystems.
• Translate product requirements into robust opto-mechanical assembly designs with full consideration of performance, cost, reliability, and manufacturability.
• Define tooling and test strategies, build and test system prototypes, measure optical and opto-electronic parameters and evaluate results, create qualification reports, and generate design documentation for Engineering Change Orders and production transfer.
• Lead structured root-cause investigations for product, manufacturing, and field failures, diagnose complex technical issues and analyze reliability, yield, and performance data to identify trends and implement corrective actions. Provide direct engineering support to manufacturing and operations teams.
• Work with optical components and precision mechanical parts vendors for procurement and performance and reliability evaluation.

Skills You Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Photonics or a related technical discipline and 5+ years of industry experience or Master’s degree and 3+ years of experience.
• Demonstrated expertise in opto-mechanical design and analysis and proficiency with SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM CAD software.
• Hands‑on experience in testing, assembly, alignment, integration, or manufacturing of advanced laser or optical systems, and with optical measurement and characterization instrumentation and techniques.
• Strong system-level troubleshooting, diagnostic skills, and experience with root-cause analysis methodologies (8D, 5-Why, Ishikawa, etc ). Strong communication skills to operate effectively in multi-disciplinary environment.

Preferred Skills:

• Industrial laser product development and transfer to manufacturing environment.
• Understanding of mechanical engineering principles for selection of materials and fabrication methods, familiarity with particle and contamination control, knowledge of GD&T.
• Experience with thermal, structural, and flow analysis using Finite Element Analysis (FEA) in SolidWorks or Ansys.
• Familiarity with Gaussian beam propagation software tools and ray‑tracing analysis software (ZEMAX, FRED and/or others).
• Experience with automated measurement and control methods (Python).

We are interested in a qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we will not be sponsoring work visas for this position, at this time.

Compensation and Benefits:

Salary Pay Range: $111,850 to $186,400 per year. This range is a good faith estimate of the expected salary range for this position, based on a wide range of factors including qualifications, experience and training, operational and business needs and other considerations permitted by law. At MKS, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for the role.

Bonus: This position is eligible for a discretionary annual bonus, in an amount to be determined by MKS [or as applicable].

Benefits: MKS offers a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance coverage (medical, dental and vision), 401(k) with company match, life and disability insurance, 12 paid holidays, sick time, 15 paid vacation days, [6 weeks fully paid] parental leave, adoption assistance and tuition reimbursement [and for participation in any stock programs, signing bonus, etc.].

MKS is an equal opportunity employer, including disability, veteran status and all categories protected by law. Please review our EOE statements for additional details.

MKS will consider qualified applicants with a criminal history pursuant to the California Fair Chance Act and the Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers.