Job Listing: Optical Engineer

SUMMARY OF POSITION:

The Optical Engineer provides technical expertise in the area of optical/photometric design and development. The engineer executes reflector and refractor designs to meet performance requirements as specified by product management. The engineer performs R&D characterization of new technology. This position also provides assistance to innovation and design teams and further support to project engineers during discussions with vendors for optical devices and materials.

DIMENSIONS:
1. The product development cycle is between 4 and 18 months.
2. The Engineer will work with North American, Asian, and Indian development teams as needed.
3. The optical development will consist of reflective, refractive, color mixing, and cavity uniformity development with various sources such as LED, OLED, HID, Fluorescent, Halogen, and Incandescent sources.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Electronically develop and publish optical designs to manage light distribution using various optical materials.
2. Defines technical requirements of projects from basic marketing and business objectives.
3. Design of reflector/refractor systems which control lamp output to meet performance requirements.
4. Optical designs to mange color variation of LED and OLED sources to meet performance requirements.
5. Oversee testing and problem solving exercises to obtain accurate and timely solutions to achieve performance requirements.
6. Provide training and guidance to design engineering personnel and laboratory technicians.
7. Coordinates laboratory data and customer layout requests with Application Engineering.
8. Reviews all photometric information to be used in marketing literature and software programs to insure the accuracy of the information.
9. Participates in any IESNA technical committees or other industry programs necessary to maintain an expertise in photometric design.
10. Special projects as required by management.

This job description is to be used as a guide for accomplishing company and department objectives and only covers the primary functions and responsibilities of the position. It is in no way to be construed as an all encompassing list of duties.

NATURE AND SCOPE:

The Optical Engineer reports directly to the Lead Engineer, Manager, or Director. The position will regularly interface with all personnel in Engineering, Product Management, and other disciplines as needed.

1. Establish relationships and support Sourcing and Manufacturing with external suppliers of rapid prototypes, production level optical component suppliers, and mange the implementation between design and development to implementation.
2. Due to the nature of LED’s development today, communication skills are required to communicate in presentation and written form what is required to design and develop LED based luminaries.
3. LED’s are quickly improving leading to a very fast and dynamically changing environment. The individual should show evidence of their ability to adapt to rapid change and plan for this change.
4. New optical materials and methods of managing the various intensities of LED’s are expected. The engineer should be able to identify and utilize these materials as they advance.
5. Since LED based luminaries typically utilize semiconductors from various manufacturing bins, mixing of these bins are necessary to obtain color consistency. The optical designs will need to accommodate this level of variation.

EXPERIENCE AND TRAINING REQUIRED TO PERFORM JOB:

1. BS in Engineering.
2. Experience in design of optical systems.
3. A good understanding of optical materials, optical testing, reliability, and life testing is needed to assure reliable designs.
4. One skilled with optical/photometric testing equipment is needed to facilitate the validation process of luminaire designs.
5. For the Advanced Engineering needs, a good understanding of optical materials and manufacturing methods are needed. This includes injection molding, post processing based optical films, glass manufacturing, reflector manufacturing, color mixing, etc.
6. The business currently uses Photopia, AutoCAD, and SolidWorks to generate designs. Familiarity with these software packages would be beneficial.
7. Well developed written and oral communication skills.
8. Well developed interpersonal skills.

Required Skills for Optical Engineer Job:

About Aerotek CE:

Join Aerotek CESM, one of the leading providers of engineering and engineering support professionals in North America. Due to our growth, we're constantly on the lookout for qualified professionals to place in contract, contract-to-hire, and permanent placement positions across a number of different industries. We know it's more than just your day-to-day responsibilities that can make or break a job. It's the support you get. That's the reason Aerotek CE offers a variety of benefits including medical, dental, optical, 401k, and many more. Don't put your career in the hands of just anyone, put it in the hands of a specialist. Join the Aerotek CE team! Allegis Group and its subsidiaries are equal opportunity employers.