Senior Systems Engineer – Ophthalmic Diagnostic and Visualization Products

Alcon MX; Lake Forest, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 103,000 - 133,000; Full time

Job summary

Alcon is seeking a Senior Systems Engineer to contribute to the development of next-generation ophthalmic diagnostic, visualization, and vision science products from concept through commercialization. The role spans optical, hardware, software, and clinical domains with growth into leadership.

This onsite position is based at the Lake Forest, CA Main Campus and involves collaboration with globally distributed teams across disciplines to advance medical device development.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of directly related experience.
• Fluency in reading, writing, understanding, and communicating in English.

Responsibilities

• Contribute to system integration, requirements development, verification and validation, data analysis, and technology evaluation across optical, hardware, software, and clinical domains.
• Collaborate with experts across scientific, clinical, optical, software, hardware, manufacturing, and engineering disciplines.
• Generate requirements, specifications, verification and validation protocols, technical reports, and design decision documentation.
• Analyze engineering and clinical data to evaluate product performance.

Skills

English proficiency

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

Python

MATLAB

C/C++

Job description

At Alcon, we're passionate about enhancing sight and helping people see brilliantly. With more than 25,000 associates, we innovate fearlessly, champion progress, and act swiftly to impact global eye health. We foster an inclusive culture, recognizing your contributions and offering opportunities to grow your career like never before. Together, we make a difference in the lives of our patients and customers. Are you ready to join us?

Primary Function

The Senior Systems Engineer will contribute to the development of next-generation ophthalmic diagnostic, visualization, and vision science products from concept through commercialization. This role will contribute to system integration, requirements development, verification and validation, data analysis, and technology evaluation across optical, hardware, software, and clinical domains. This position is intended for a technically strong engineer or scientist who wants to grow into broader product development leadership by working across disciplines, solving system-level problems, and learning the full medical device development process.

This is an onsite based position based out of our Lake Forest, CA Main Campus.

In this role, a typical day will include:

• Work alongside experts across scientific, clinical, optical, software, hardware, manufacturing, and engineering disciplines.
• Support software and hardware solutions for connected diagnostic and visualization product platforms.
• Execute engineering tasks related to medical device development from concept through commercialization.
• Support system integration, troubleshooting, performance characterization, and system‑level tradeoff analysis.
• Generate requirements, specifications, verification and validation protocols, technical reports, and design decision documentation.
• Analyze engineering and clinical data to evaluate product performance.
• Monitor relevant technology trends in ophthalmic diagnostics, imaging, AI/ML, and connected product platforms.
• Understand existing clinical technologies and identify potential improvements.
• Generate product and technology concepts, evaluate feasibility, and support development of current and future products.
• Collaborate with globally distributed teams and develop communication skills needed to influence cross‑functional technical decisions.
• Develop increasing ownership of subsystem and system‑level technical workstreams, with opportunities to grow into project lead or systems lead responsibilities.

Key Requirements/Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree or Equivalent years of directly related experience (or high school +8 yrs. Assoc.+4 yrs.)
• The ability to fluently read, write, understand, and communicate in English
• Relocation Assistance: Not Available
• Sponsorship Available: Not Available

Preferred Qualifications:

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Physics, Optical Engineering, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
• Experience with complex system integration, such as robotics, automation, integrated medical devices, imaging systems, semiconductor tools, or aerospace systems.
• Broad technical understanding of software, hardware, optics, imaging technologies, and integrated product architectures.
• Experience with lasers, machine vision, computational imaging, image processing, signal processing, AI/machine learning, or related technologies.
• Programming or scripting experience in Python, MATLAB, C/C++, or similar tools.
• Experience with requirements development, system‑level testing, verification and validation, and technical documentation.
• Familiarity with risk management, design control, and regulated medical device development.
• Systems engineering experience supporting late‑stage medical device development, launch, or lifecycle support.
• Experience with systems engineering tools, analysis methods, trade‑off studies, or performance modeling.

How to Thrive at Alcon:

Manage your own workload and schedule while hitting your set targets. Build positive working relationships to achieve positive goals and business objectives. Balance experiencing new environments and working autonomously in a remote sales environment. Alcon provides robust benefits package including health, life, retirement, flexible time off for exempt associates, and much more!

Alcon Careers

See your impact at alcon.com/careers

Compensation and Benefits

Alcon’s Total Rewards programs are designed to align incentives with business objectives, support our values, and deliver long‑term value.

Our compensation approach includes a combination of fixed and variable pay, with short‑term and long‑term incentive opportunities for eligible roles.

Our benefits offerings are designed to support associates and their families across key life events, including programs that promote health and well‑being, provide financial security, and support retirement planning.

Pay Range 102,850.00 - 133,100.00 Pay Frequency Annual

Alcon is an Equal Opportunity Employer and participates in E-Verify. Alcon takes pride in maintaining a diverse environment and our policies are not to discriminate in recruitment, hiring, training, promotion or other employment practices for reasons of race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital or veteran status, disability, or any other legally protected status. Alcon is also committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to individuals with disabilities. If, because of a medical condition or disability, you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application process, or in order to perform the essential functions of a position, please send an email to [e-mail] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.

Alcon, which was founded in 1945, sells its products in 180 countries worldwide.