Optical Engineer

About the role

This role focuses on designing, modeling, analyzing, prototyping, and developing advanced opto-mechanical systems, including laser, imaging, illumination, and precision optical mounting solutions, with applications in areas such as medical devices.

Responsibilities

• Create and refine designs for laser, imaging, illumination, and precision optical mounting systems for use in applications such as medical devices.
• Work with vendors to have opto-mechanical and structural assemblies manufactured, including providing clear specifications and collaborating on manufacturability.
• Set up optical and mechanical assemblies in the lab, ensure availability of required components, and test functionality to confirm performance.
• Design, develop, and help implement a manufacturing validation strategy that addresses product, process, and test methods, leading to release into manufacturing.
• Perform detailed analysis to ensure product performance, reliability, and manufacturability, and document all design, development, and validation activities.
• Produce comprehensive design packages for vendors, including optical and mechanical drawings with specifications, tolerances, and special process steps.
• Provide innovative engineering solutions and direct technical support to help achieve design project milestones on schedule.
• Collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams, including Manufacturing, Quality, Regulatory, and Clinical functions, to incorporate cross-functional input into designs.
• Apply design for manufacturability, assembly, and reliability principles, including considerations for thermal performance, vibration, and shock.
• Support manufacturing process development for medical equipment and contribute to design control activities, including verification, validation, and design transfer.
• Operate within the requirements of a highly regulated industry, adhering to relevant standards and procedures.
• Demonstrate independent problem-solving skills by addressing complex design and engineering challenges with minimal assistance while leveraging team input.

Essential Skills

• Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering (BS ME).
• Minimum of 5+ years of optical design experience.
• Ability to design optical systems using Code V (Code 5) or Zemax.
• Strong experience in optical design and optical engineering, including laser, imaging, illumination, and optical components.
• Proficiency in designing enclosures, structural and mechanical components, heat transfer elements, scanner systems, precision machined components, die cast parts, and plastic components.
• Strong skills in SolidWorks or similar CAD tools, including top-down design, assemblies, and component design.
• Experience with finite element analysis (FEA) to support structural and thermal evaluations.
• Proficiency in geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and tolerance analysis.
• Demonstrated ability to solve complex design and engineering problems with minimal assistance.
• Experience applying design for manufacturability, assembly, and reliability, including thermal, vibration, and shock considerations.
• Experience with manufacturing process development for medical equipment.
• Knowledge of design control processes, including verification, validation, and design transfer.
• Experience working within a highly regulated industry.
• Proven ability to work effectively in a team environment, collaborating with multidisciplinary stakeholders.

Additional Skills & Qualifications

• Experience producing detailed optical and mechanical design packages for vendors, including drawings with specifications, tolerances, and special process steps.
• Background in precision optical mounting techniques and their integration into opto-mechanical systems.
• Experience supporting manufacturing, quality, regulatory, and clinical teams by incorporating their input into design decisions.
• Familiarity with scanner systems and heat transfer considerations in opto-mechanical designs.
• Experience working in or around medical device development environments.
• Ability to provide innovative solutions and technical guidance to help meet project milestones.