Optical Aligner and Test Engineer - Mountain View, CA
$132,400 - $179,200 USD yearly
Originally posted 15 September 2026 by the employer.
About the role
This role involves developing and optimizing the optical module used in LiDAR and sensor product lines.
What you'll do
- Develop robust, fast active alignment sequences and algorithms for lasers, detectors, and fibers using coupling lenses and other optics.
- Specify and build custom fixtures and high precision motor stages for sub-micron precision alignment with high repeatability and reproducibility.
- Develop robust test cases and analysis routines for screening optical modules and associated assemblies.
- Work with external vendors to evaluate, specify, and procure advanced test and aligner solutions.
- Develop tests and characterize Silicon Photonics based photonic integrated circuits (PIC), lasers, and optical amplifiers.
- Analyze test and manufacturing data to identify process variation, drift, and systematic failures.
What you'll need
- Experience in integrated optics product manufacturing such as LiDAR and optical transceiver.
- MS or Ph.D. in Physics, Photonics, Optical engineering or related technical discipline.
- Strong programming background in Python for automation.
- Experience with optical instrumentation such as tunable lasers, spectrum analyzers, optical powermeter, switches, power supplies, DAQ, motorized stages, and active alignment systems.
- Familiarity with interfaces and tools such as I2C, SPI, UART, JTAG, GPIB, and raspberry Pi for automation with instruments and embedded systems.
- Experience in statistical analysis such as GR&R, correlation, and DOE analysis for manufacturing process improvements using tools such as JMP.
Nice to have
- Experience with LabView and C#.
This role has been open 29 days — well below the 50-day median for Hardware Systems Engineering roles.
Hardware Systems Engineering · AI ML Hardware
|
Open roles in category
964
|
Median days open
50 d
|
Median salary
$155k
|
See the full market breakdown ▾Category comparison, and who else is hiring
| Metric | Aeva Technologies | All employers we track in this specialty (964 roles · 103 employers) |
|---|---|---|
| Open roles in this specialty | 6 | 964 |
| Open roles in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family | 15 | 6149 · 145 employers |
| Median days open | 70 d | 50 d (+20 d vs this employer) |
| Median salary (USD postings) | — | $155k |
Who's hiring in this category
- Intel Corporation · 71 open roles · median 33 d
- KLA Corporation · 65 open roles · median 42 d
- Teradyne · 55 open roles · median 27 d
- NVIDIA · 52 open roles · median 67 d
- Applied Materials · 49 open roles · median 63 d
- AMD · 45 open roles · median 44 d
How we counted: 964 open Hardware Systems Engineering (AI ML Hardware) roles from 103 employers tracked in the SemiconductorJobs index, counted 15 Oct 2026. Specialty figures count only roles carrying this exact specialty label, so an employer's related work in neighbouring specialties is not included there — it is counted in the wider Software, Firmware & Systems family row. Figures refresh nightly.
Aeva Technologies
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