Staff Optical Engineer

WIT Recruiting; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

A specialized recruiting firm is seeking a Staff Optical Engineer with over 10 years of experience to lead optical design efforts for LiDAR systems in San Francisco. The ideal candidate will possess a strong foundation in optics and be proficient in Zemax for performance analysis. This role requires leadership in managing design processes and collaboration with multi-disciplinary teams to deliver high-quality optical systems.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience in optical design, focusing on multi-element lens systems.
• Proficient in Zemax for various optical analyses.
• Strong foundation in optical system performance validation.

Responsibilities

• Lead optical design efforts for LiDAR systems.
• Perform optical simulations to guide design trade-offs.
• Manage work from external optical consultants.

Skills

Optics design

Zemax

Python

Collaboration in multi-disciplinary teams

Optical lab equipment operation

Education

Master’s degree in Optical Engineering or related field

Tools

SolidWorks

ANSYS Mechanical

Job description

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Base pay range

$170,000.00/yr - $230,000.00/yr

Direct message the job poster from WIT Recruiting

Staff Optical Engineer (10+ years of experience) – LiDAR Systems

Candidates must be within a 15-minute commute to 94110 zip code or open to relocate to SF/Mission District.

Responsibilities

• Lead optical design efforts for LiDAR systems with a focus on athermalization and resistance to shock and vibration.
• Perform optical and opto-mechanical simulations to evaluate system performance and guide design trade-offs.
• Design and improve optical alignment procedures and develop performance testing equipment.
• Contribute to the conceptual design of opto-mechanical systems for next-generation LiDAR products.
• Manage and review work performed by external optical consultants, providing technical direction and feedback.
• Conduct tolerancing and sensitivity analyses for optical and opto-mechanical components, with a deep understanding of realistic fabrication tolerances.
• Collaborate with vendors to fabricate and verify high-precision optical and opto-mechanical parts.
• Generate novel intellectual property and work with legal counsel to properly document and protect inventions.
• Partner with the Quality team to ensure products meet rigorous automotive and industrial standards.

Basic Qualifications

• Strong foundation in optics, with hands-on experience designing and working with multi-element lens systems and semiconductor lasers.
• Proficient in using Zemax (both sequential and non-sequential modes) for optical design, tolerancing, and performance analysis.
• Skilled in setting up and operating optical lab equipment for performance validation and testing.
• Proficient in Python or Matlab for simulation, data analysis, and automation tasks.
• Experience managing external vendors and consultants for optical component design and manufacturing.
• Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively within multi-disciplinary teams to solve system-level challenges.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance (STOP) analysis and athermal design.
• Familiarity with SolidWorks for mechanical modeling and ANSYS Mechanical for simulation and analysis.
• Background in developing optical systems for high-volume production.
• Master’s degree (MS) in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.