General Motors

Senior Optical Engineer - Head-Up Display (HUD)

General Motors$110K — $130K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field
  • 5+ years of experience in optical system design or validation
  • Experience with optical simulation tools
  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills
  • Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams

Responsibilities

  • Own optical system performance across requirements, design, validation, and launch
  • Design Head Up Display relay optics for key performance criteria
  • Create 3D optical models and simulations for HUD optics
  • Lead optical design direction and performance trade-offs
  • Develop and govern optical validation strategies
  • Drive early risk identification through validation
  • Ensure alignment with mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision coverage
  • Health Savings Account and Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Retirement savings plan
  • Sickness and accident benefits
  • Life insurance
  • Paid vacation and holidays
  • Tuition assistance programs
  • Employee assistance program
  • GM vehicle discounts
Full Job Description

Job Description

Location: Hybrid (Onsite 1–3 days/week (Tues., Wed., Thurs.)

Organization: Global Instrument Panel Cluster & HUD Engineering

Job Type: Full-Time (Hybrid)

Role Overview

The HUD Optical Senior Engineer is responsible for end-to-end ownership of optical system performance design across development and validation. This role drives build to print design definition, execution, and governance of optical design and validation, ensuring robust execution, early issue identification, and alignment across programs. This position is a key enabler of GM’s in-house HUD strategy.

Key Responsibilities

  • Own optical system performance across requirements, design, validation, and launch

  • Design for build to print, Head Up Display relay optics ensuring the FOV, luminance, distortion, ghosting, image stability design criteria are enabled

  • Create 3D optical models and simulations encompassing the Head Up Display relay optics, ray bundle, eye-box, reflection scatter, windshield wedge, and thermal loads.

  • Lead optical design direction and performance trade-offs

  • Develop and govern optical validation strategies (virtual, bench, vehicle)

  • Drive early risk identification through optical simulation and system-level validation

  • Ensure design alignment with mechanical, electrical, and software interfaces

  • Lead supplier Optical design reviews to assess feasibility and risks

  • Ensure optical design alignment to Head Up Display strategy for dimming and brightness control

  • Support prototype and production root cause analysis and resolution of optical issues

  • Provide clear, data-driven updates and recommendations to leadership

Tools & Software Requirements

  • Optical simulation tools (Ansys, Zemax, Speos, LightTools)

  • 3D CAD tools (NX, Vis MockUp, CATIA, Creo)

  • Optical visualization and rendering tools

  • Data analysis tools (MATLAB, Python)

  • Validation and issue tracking tools (Jira, PRTS)

  • Virtual validation and model correlation platforms

Organizational Impact

  • Establish clear ownership and governance of optical build to print design and performance

  • Drive consistent execution and engineering rigor across programs

  • Enable early optical design issue detection and reduce late-stage rework

  • Strengthen cross-functional alignment

  • Support scalable, GM-owned HUD capability

Required Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field

  • 5+ years of experience in optical system design or validation

  • Experience with optical simulation tools

  • Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills

  • Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience in automotive HUD systems

  • Knowledge of advanced optics (waveguide, AR, projection systems)

  • Experience with virtual validation and model correlation

  • Familiarity with GM processes (PRTS, ECR, validation frameworks)

  • Advanced degree (Master’s or PhD)

  • DFSS / Six Sigma experience

#LI-SW1

Bonus Potential: An incentive pay program offers payouts based on company performance, job level, and individual performance. 

Benefits: GM offers a variety of health and wellbeing benefit programs. Benefit options include medical, dental, vision, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Accounts, retirement savings plan, sickness and accident benefits, life insurance, paid vacation & holidays, tuition assistance programs, employee assistance program, GM vehicle discounts and more.

About General Motors

General Motors Company engages in the manufacture and sale of cars and trucks in the United States, China, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Canada, and Italy. It offers sedans, crossovers, sport utility vehicles, pick-up trucks, coupes, sports/convertibles and hybrid vehicles, hatchbacks/wagons, and vans, as well as mini cars in India. The company also provides parts and accessories, such as iPod and MP3 compatibility, mobility accessories, performance parts, AC parts and services, and merchandise. In addition, it offers vehicle safety, security, and information services. The company provides used vehicles. It offers its products through dealers and distributors. General Motors Company was formerly known as NGMCO, Inc. and changed its name to General Motors Company in July 2009. The company was incorporated in 2009 and is based in Detroit, Michigan. It operates manufacturing facilities in India, the United States, and Canada. General Motors Company operates as a subsidiary of the United States Department of The Treasury. General Motors led global vehicle sales for 77 consecutive years from 1931 through 2007, longer than any other automaker, and is currently among the world's largest automakers by vehicle unit sales. General Motors acts in most countries outside the USA via wholly-owned subsidiaries but operates in China through 10 joint ventures. GM's OnStar subsidiary provides vehicle safety, security, and information services. In 2009, General Motors shed several brands, closing Saturn, Pontiac, and Hummer, and emerged from a government-backed Chapter 11 reorganization. In 2010, GM made an initial public offering IPOs to date and returned to profitability later that year.

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Learn more about General Motors
Size
157,000 employees
Market Cap
$46.9 billion
Industry
Net Income
$6.4 billion
Founded
1908
5 Year Trend
-3.2%
Revenue
$122.4 billion
NASDAQ

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