We are seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to join our Optical NPI team to support the development and scaling of next-generation optical switch products from New Product Introduction (NPI) through high-volume manufacturing. This role focuses on the optical subsystem architecture, performance margins, tolerances, contamination sensitivity, and system stability, and will drive validation, characterization, and production readiness from prototypes through product maturity.
This is a highly cross-functional role working closely with NPI, test engineering, manufacturing teams, and customers to ensure robust optical performance and scalable production solutions.
Key Responsibilities- Lead deep-dive investigations of complex optical path issues, identifying root causes and driving improvements across design, test, fixtures, and manufacturing processes through structured experiments and DOE methodologies.
- Partner with NPI and Test Engineering teams to develop manufacturable optical measurement strategies, including selection and integration of optical test equipment for product development and production environments.
- Collaborate with customers and internal teams to define and implement optical inspection and cleaning processes to improve yield, reduce retest rates, and maintain optical performance standards.
- Support Site Acceptance Testing (SAT) for automated optical inspection and cleaning systems by defining acceptance criteria, conducting qualification and correlation studies, and closing readiness gaps prior to production release.
- Qualify optical test equipment and stations through measurement system analysis, including Cg/Cgk, GR&R, and station-to-station correlation studies.
- Analyze production and test data to identify performance gaps and implement corrective actions prior to mass production.
- Document technical findings, validation results, and process improvements to support design and manufacturing readiness.
Qualifications- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
- 5+ years of experience in optical engineering, optical testing, or optical manufacturing/NPI supporting complex hardware systems in laboratory or production environments.
- Proven experience troubleshooting optical path issues, including fiber connectors, end-face quality, contamination control, and optical signal integrity.
- Hands-on experience implementing optical measurement systems, including automation, calibration, data logging, and traceability.
- Experience defining and validating optical inspection and cleaning processes in collaboration with cross-functional or customer teams.
- Strong experimental and analytical skills with experience conducting structured experiments (DOE) and applying data-driven decision making.
- Ability to produce clear technical documentation and communicate findings to engineering and manufacturing teams.
Preferred Qualifications- Experience with optical switching products or high-speed networking optics, including fiber-based interconnects, optical modules, or optical assemblies.
- Familiarity with high-speed optical link testing and performance metrics such as BER, eye diagrams, jitter margin, and signal integrity analysis.
- Experience supporting equipment qualification and production readiness, including SAT planning and execution.
- Working knowledge of measurement system capability analysis including Cg/Cgk, GR&R, and correlation studies.
- Experience working with mechanical designs and interpreting 2D/3D CAD drawings.
Salary Range: $140,000 - $180,000 per year
Work Location: San Jose, CA (onsite)
