Sr. Staff Engineer, Free-Space Optics
$190,000–$240,000 year
On-site · San Jose, California, United States
Job Summary
Sr. Staff Optical Engineer to lead optical test, characterization, and modeling for free-space optical subsystems in next-generation modules. This hands-on, lab-centric role owns measurement strategy and drives modeling/simulation to predict, interpret, and correlate system performance, bridging design and production-ready implementation. Responsibilities include developing optical test/characterization frameworks for free-space subsystems (lenses, isolators, polarization optics, FAUs, fiber coupling interfaces), building and owning optical models to predict coupling efficiency and loss mechanisms, guiding test plans, performing deep optical characterization and root-cause analysis, partnering with design/laser/packaging teams to feed insights into architecture and tolerancing, defining realistic specs and manufacturability limits, driving DFM/DFT for optical systems (alignment strategies, test coverage, yield optimization), and supporting NPI builds, bring-up, and production ramp with scalable test methodologies.
Required Qualifications
- BS in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field
- 6+ years of experience spanning optical testing, modeling, and system validation
- Deep hands-on expertise in free-space optical alignment and fiber coupling
- Knowledge in optical measurement techniques (IL, RL, beam profiling, polarization, etc.)
- Strong proficiency in optical modeling tools (e.g., Zemax, Code V, Lumerical or equivalent)
- Proven ability to correlate simulation with experimental results
- Experience building and scaling optical test setups and automation frameworks
- Strong analytical skills to extract insights from complex datasets and drive decisions
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