Lyte AI
Optical System Integration Engineer
A hands-on, early-career Optical System Integration Engineer joins Lyte AI's System Optics Team to build, align, and validate optical subsystems (lenses, lasers, detectors) and characterize performance metrics like beam profile, M², and wavefront error. Core tools include free-space optical alignment techniques and Python for test automation, instrument control, and data analysis.
- Compensation
- Not disclosed
- Location
- Sunnyvale, CA
- Work setup
- Not specified
- Seniority
- Not specified
- Employment
- Not specified
- Experience
- Not specified
- Category
- Software engineering
- Posted
Skills
Must have
- B.S. or M.S. in Optical/Photonics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related engineering field
- Strong understanding of optical fundamentals: geometric optics, lenses, imaging, Gaussian beams, diffraction, basic physical optics
- Demonstrated hands-on technical aptitude through lab coursework, research, internships, engineering projects, or previous employment
- Comfortable working with physical hardware and performing iterative setup, measurement, alignment, and debugging
- Experience with or strong interest in free-space optical alignment, lenses and opto-mechanical components, laser alignment and beam collimation, photodetectors and optical power measurements, lab inst
- Working knowledge of Python, particularly for scientific computing, data analysis, or laboratory automation
- Ability to analyze experimental data, identify trends or anomalies, and develop hypotheses from measurement results
- Strong problem-solving skills and willingness to learn unfamiliar systems and measurement techniques
- Ability to communicate technical observations and results clearly
Nice to have
- Python libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, pandas, and Matplotlib
- Automated test equipment and instrument communication/control
- Passive or active integrated photonics testing
- Basic analog/digital electronics and ability to interpret circuit schematics or system block diagrams
- Optical simulation or design tools such as Zemax OpticStudio or Code V
- FPGA or SoC-based hardware platforms
Full description
About the role
- We are seeking a motivated and hands-on Optical System Integration Engineer to join our System Optics Team. The team is responsible for integrating and validating optical subsystems and ensuring product performance from an optical standpoint. This is a hands-on engineering role intended for a recent graduate, or early-career engineer with strong fundamentals in optics and an interest in building, testing, and debugging real optical systems.
What you'll do
- Build, align, and characterize optical laboratory setups and optical subsystems.
- Support testing and validation of optical components and subsystems, including lenses, windows, mirrors, lasers, detectors, and related opto-mechanical assemblies.
- Perform optical alignment tasks including free-space alignment, beam collimation, focusing, and optimization of optical paths.
- Execute optical characterization and system-level test procedures and analyze the resulting data.
- Develop Python scripts for instrument control, test automation, data processing, visualization, and analysis.
- Assist with development and validation new sensor prototyping and manufacturing processes.
- Support optical subsystem bring-up, integration, validation, and troubleshooting.
- Investigate unexpected system behavior using experimental data and fundamental engineering principles.
- Perform measurements and characterization of optical performance, including beam profile, M², wavefront error (WFE), and other relevant optical metrics.
- Work with cross-functional engineering teams, including electrical, firmware, DSP, software, and mechanical engineering.
- Document experimental setups, procedures, results, and conclusions clearly.
- Participate in failure analysis and root-cause investigations with experienced engineers.
- Propose improvements to optical setups, test methods, automation, and measurement techniques.
Required Qualifications
- A B.S. or M.S. in Optical/Photonics Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Applied Physics, or a related engineering field.
- Strong understanding of optical fundamentals, including geometric optics, lenses, imaging, Gaussian beams, diffraction, and basic physical optics.
- Demonstrated hands-on technical aptitude through laboratory coursework, research, internships, engineering projects, or previous employment.
- Comfortable working with physical hardware and performing iterative setup, measurement, alignment, and debugging.