Senior Optics Engineer

Senior Optics Engineer

Job Type: Full-time, Permanent

Workplace Type: On-site

Location: Woburn, MA (Greater Boston Area)

Estimated Base Salary: $125,000 – $165,000 / year (commensurate with experience)

Job Summary

We are seeking an experienced and technically rigorous Senior Optics Engineer to lead and support the end-to-end development, optimization, and commercialization of next-generation configurable optical devices and photonic subsystems.

In this role, you will take advanced optical designs from early simulation and prototyping through miniature packaging, precision fiber coupling, and high-yield volume manufacturing. You will work across diverse optical product families including isolators, attenuators, switches, nonlinear optics, lasers, and high-power delivery architectures.

Key Responsibilities

Optical Design & Modeling: Lead optical design, numerical modeling, and simulation (beam propagation, polarization management, coupling efficiency) for configurable micro-optic components.

Product Development & Commercialization: Drive the design, testing, and transfer to manufacturing for key device families:

Optical Isolators, Circulators, and Variable Optical Attenuators (VOAs)

High-speed/MEMS Optical Switches and Tunable Filters

Lasers, Q-switches, and Nonlinear Optical frequency conversion modules

High-power fiber delivery systems and optical sensors

Miniature Packaging & Assembly: Develop precision optomechanical packaging, micro-optic alignment fixtures, hermetic sealing, and active/passive fiber coupling methods.

Test Automation & Characterization: Establish benchtop test systems to measure insertion loss (IL), return loss (RL), polarization-dependent loss (PDL), extinction ratio (ER), wavelength response, and optical damage thresholds.

Process & Yield Improvement: Collaborate with assembly and manufacturing teams to troubleshoot production fallout, improve assembly yield, and implement Design for Manufacturability (DFM) standards.

Documentation: Generate comprehensive standard operating procedures (SOPs), optical test protocols, bill of materials (BOMs), and design qualification reports.

Required Qualifications

Education: Master’s or Ph.D. in Optics, Optical Engineering, Photonics, Applied Physics, or Electrical Engineering (or a Bachelor’s degree with 6+ years of relevant industry experience).

Industry Experience: 5+ years of hands-on experience in optical component design, packaging, and commercialization.

Technical Breadth: Direct design or characterization experience with at least several of the following:

Passive micro-optics (isolators, circulators, VOAs, tunable filters).

Laser cavity design, Q-switches, or nonlinear optics.

Fiber optic coupling, collimation, and beam delivery.

Miniature optical/optoelectronic packaging.

Simulation & Design Tools: Proficiency in optical modeling tools (e.g., Zemax, Code V, LightTools, Lumerical, or equivalent).

Lab Instrumentation: Hands-on proficiency with benchtop equipment (optical spectrum analyzers [OSAs], power meters, tunable lasers, beam profilers, polarimeters).

Preferred Qualifications

Proficiency with automation and data collection tools (Python, LabVIEW, or MATLAB).

Experience with mechanical CAD tools (SolidWorks) for optical mount/housing design.

Familiarity with Telcordia reliability standards (GR-1209, GR-1221) or equivalent mil-spec/aerospace qualification frameworks.

Experience scaling prototypes into high-volume manufacturing environments.

Compensation & Benefits

Salary Range: $125,000 – $165,000 / year (exact pay based on qualifications and technical interview performance)

Health & Wellness: Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance plans

Retirement: 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution/match

Additional Perks: Performance bonuses / profit sharing, generous Paid Time Off (PTO), and company holidays

Standardized Job Board Taxonomy (For ATS Backend)

Standard Title: Senior Optical Engineer

Alternative Matching Titles: Sr. Photonics Engineer, Optical Device Development Engineer, Lead Optical Engineer

City: Woburn

State: Massachusetts (MA)

Postal Code: 01801

Country: United States

Industry: Hardware / Optics & Photonics / Semiconductors