Micro-Optics Engineer

Design and validate microlens arrays and wafer-level micro-optical components for high-density photonic packages.

Originally posted July 23, 2026 by the employer.

About the role

The Micro-Optics Engineer designs, models, and validates microlens-array and wafer-level micro-optical components for high-density photonic packages. The role translates system-level optical requirements into manufacturable designs, builds tolerance budgets, and correlates models with measured prototype data.

What you'll do

• Own micro-optical design for microlens arrays and compact micro-optical components, defining lens pitch, aperture, focal length, numerical aperture, sag, surface form, fill factor, array uniformity, substrates, materials, and coatings.
• Build optical models using tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, LightTools, VirtualLab, Ansys/Lumerical, or COMSOL using ray, physical-optics, diffraction, and statistical methods.
• Connect electromagnetic simulations (FDTD, FEM, EME, RCWA) to Zemax, Code V, or physical-optics models to capture local optical-interface behavior in system-level trade studies.
• Develop sensitivity analyses and tolerance budgets using Monte Carlo and DOE methods across fabrication, placement, package stack-up, adhesive, thermal, refractive-index, and coating variations.
• Partner with process and supplier teams to evaluate fabrication routes including photoresist reflow, grayscale lithography, etch transfer, molding, and replication.
• Plan and run prototype characterization for surface profile, focal length, array uniformity, optical throughput, reflection behavior, polarization sensitivity, thermal drift, and alignment sensitivity.

What you'll need

• M.S. or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Physics, Photonics, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field (or a B.S. with relevant industry experience).
• Industry experience in micro-optics, wafer-level optics, optical design, photonic packaging, optomechanics, precision optics, or semiconductor process integration.
• Experience designing microlens arrays, aspheric micro-optics, diffractive or hybrid micro-optical surfaces, or package-level optical features with manufacturing constraints.
• Proficiency with optical modeling and tolerancing in Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, LightTools, VirtualLab, Ansys/Lumerical, COMSOL, or equivalent.
• Experience developing tolerance budgets, supplier specifications, prototype characterization plans, and model-to-hardware correlation.
• Python skills for simulation automation, numerical analysis, data reduction, and reporting.

Nice to have

• FDTD-Zemax co-design experience or equivalent EM-to-system optical modeling to inform tolerances, angular/spectral response, surface geometry, or package-level decisions.
• Working knowledge of semiconductor processing or microfabrication, including lithography, etch, deposition, thin films, wafer-level metrology, process variation, design rules, or DFM.
• Experience taking wafer-level optics or micro-optical components from concept through prototype builds, supplier qualification, or production ramp.
• Background in high-density optoelectronic packages, semiconductor photonics packages, optical interconnect hardware, co-packaged optics, sensing systems, LiDAR, AR/VR optics, or datacom hardware.
• Optomechanical CAD or GD&T experience using SolidWorks, NX, Creo, or Zemax CAD exchange.
• Lab automation experience with motion stages, cameras, optical power meters, OSAs, temperature controllers, SMUs, oscilloscopes, Python/PyVISA, SCPI, or LabVIEW.

Skills: micro-optics, Zemax, microlens arrays, FDTD, optical design

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