About the roleWe are seeking a hands-on engineer to own the design and development of optical test systems used to ensure component and system quality throughout the manufacturing process for Lyte's advanced technology.
You will architect and build test solutions end to end, including opto-mechanical fixturing, instrumentation selection and integration, motion and machine-vision automation, and test software. You will take test systems from laboratory concept through qualification and deployment in manufacturing environments.
The role requires close collaboration with optical, hardware, manufacturing, quality, and external production partners to ensure test methods are robust, repeatable, and transferable. Success means creating reliable test systems that deliver consistent, high-quality data and can be effectively deployed across manufacturing operations.
What you'll do- Design and build automated IQC stations, engineered from day one for high-volume production, that screen incoming optical components: macro lenses, optical windows, and sub-assemblies, against Lyte specifications before they enter assembly.
- Design and build automated OQC stations that verify outgoing optical subsystem performance and, as scope requires, fully assembled system modules, prior to shipment: alignment, optical power and transmittance, MTF/resolution, wavefront error, back focal distance, and stray light.
- Architect the full test system: opto-mechanical fixturing, motion stages, precision instrumentation (power meters, spectrometers, interferometers, beam profilers, collimators), machine vision for alignment and defect detection, and robotic or conveyorized part handling.
- Develop station control and data-acquisition software (Python, LabVIEW, and/or C++) to sequence measurements, apply pass/fail criteria, log data, and interface with the Manufacturing Execution System (MES).
- Translate optical and opto-mechanical design tolerances into measurable test coverage, acceptance criteria, and Cp/Cpk-capable test methods.
- Correlate subsystem-level optical results with system-level 4D FMCW lidar performance - range accuracy and precision, SNR, signal intensity, and point-cloud quality - in partnership with systems and lidar performance engineering.
- Scale qualified testers across lines and sites. Partner directly with the automation engineering department at each CM, OSAT, and assembly house to duplicate hardware, fixtures, and software, and prove tool-to-tool matching and correlation across every copy so capacity scales quickly and repeatably.
- Deploy testers at partner sites across Asia: train operators, write work instructions, and support pilot builds through high-volume ramp.
- Own the ongoing health of the test line - first-pass yield, throughput, and OEE - through root-cause analysis, SPC, and corrective and preventive action on optical test failures.
- Maintain golden units, calibration standards, and traceability for all IQC/OQC equipment, including calibration schedules and gauge R&R.
- Collaborate across optical, mechanical, electrical, firmware, and quality engineering, from NPI through second-source qualification and full-scale volume production.
Required Qualifications- M.S., or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related field - or equivalent practical experience.
- 5+ years designing automated test equipment or test fixtures for optical, optoelectronic, or opto-mechanical products (e.g., camera modules, lens assemblies, laser or photodetector modules, lidar or other electro-optical sensors).
- Hands-on experience with optical test instrumentation - MTF/resolution benches, interferometers, collimators, optical power meters or optical spectrum analyzers, and beam profilers.
- Proficiency in test automation programming (Python and/or LabVIEW; C++, C#, or MATLAB also welcome) for instrument control, data acquisition, and pass/fail decision logic, including integration of precision motion control into test fixtures.
- Working knowledge of lens and optical assembly specifications - MTF, distortion, focal length, back focal distance, chief ray angle - and opto-mechanical tolerancing.
- Demonstrated experience taking a tester from laboratory prototype into production at a vendor, CM, or OSAT site - including replicating it as multiple matched tools, proving tool-to-tool correlation, and handing off to operations for mass production.
- Willingness and ability to travel between the US and Asia manufacturing sites - including CM, OSAT, and assembly house facilities - to support tester bring-up, duplication, and volume ramp (up to ~25%).
Preferred Qualifications- Direct experience testing lidar, camera, or laser transmitter/receiver optical engines; FMCW or coherent detection systems a strong plus.
- Experience defining IQC/OQC processes with SPC, Cp/Cpk-based acceptance criteria, gauge R&R, and golden-unit and calibration traceability in a manufacturing environment.
- Familiarity with MES integration, SECS/GEM, or shop-floor data collection systems.
- Machine vision and robotic or conveyorized part handling integrated into production test fixtures.
- Camera or lens IQC test benches - resolution/MTF charts, distortion mapping, stray light and ghost image characterization.
- Background in wafer-level or die-level optical/photonic test, chip-on-carrier (CoC) test, or burn-in test.
- Statistical and data analysis tools (JMP, Minitab, or Python) and CAD tools (SolidWorks) for fixture design.
- Prior working relationships with Taiwan-based contract manufacturing and OSAT partners.
Benefits (subject to location and local regulations)
- Competitive salary and equity
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
- 401(k) retirement plan
- Flexible vacation and time-off policy
- Collaborative, fast-paced, and inclusive work environment
- Opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies with a highly cross-functional team
The pay range for this role is:
150,000 - 260,000 USD per year (Bay Area, CA)
