Micro-Optics Engineer

Job Title

Micro-Optics Engineer

Role Summary

Senior micro-optics engineer responsible for designing, modeling, and validating microlens arrays and wafer-level micro-optical components for high-density photonic packages. Work across simulation, tolerance budgeting, fabrication partners, and prototype characterization to deliver manufacturable optical solutions.

Experience Level

Senior-level. The posting requests senior expertise; no specific years-of-experience requirement was listed.

Responsibilities

Primary responsibilities include translating system requirements into manufacturable micro‑optical designs and closing the loop with measured hardware.

• Design microlens arrays and compact micro-optical elements (pitch, aperture, focal length, NA, sag, fill factor, coatings, substrates).
• Build and connect optical models using ray/physical-optics/diffraction and statistical methods (Zemax, Code V, FRED, LightTools, VirtualLab, etc.).
• Integrate EM-scale simulations (FDTD, FEM, RCWA, EME) with system-level optics for co-design and trade studies.
• Develop tolerancing and yield analyses: sensitivity studies, Monte Carlo and DOE, and tolerance budgets across fabrication and package stack-up.
• Specify vendor-ready deliverables: optical prescriptions, mechanical drawings, metrology and acceptance criteria, and supplier documentation.
• Plan and execute prototype characterization and validation: surface profile, focal length, throughput, reflections, polarization, thermal and environmental stability, and alignment sensitivity.
• Collaborate with process, packaging, mechanical, thermal, test, reliability, device, and supplier teams to move designs to qualified hardware.
• Automate workflows with Python for simulation sweeps, tolerance studies, data reduction, visualization, and reporting.

Requirements

Candidates are not expected to match every item; strong backgrounds in micro-optics, optical packaging, or related fields are encouraged.

• Proven experience designing microlens arrays, aspheric micro-optics, diffractive/hybrid micro-optical surfaces, or compact package-level optical features with manufacturing constraints.
• Proficiency with optical modeling and tolerancing tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, LightTools, VirtualLab, Ansys/Lumerical, or COMSOL.
• Experience connecting electromagnetic simulations to system optics (FDTD-Zemax co-design or equivalent) is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated semiconductor process awareness: lithography, grayscale/direct-write patterning, imprint, etch transfer, deposition, thin-film coatings, and wafer-level metrology.
• Track record of producing vendor-ready specifications, metrology plans, and acceptance criteria; ability to translate design intent to manufacturing requirements.
• Hands-on experience with prototype characterization, failure analysis, model-to-hardware correlation, and iterative design improvement.
• Python skills for simulation automation, numerical analysis, and data processing.
• Clear written and verbal communication and ability to work independently in a fast-paced startup environment.

Education Requirements

M.S. or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Applied Physics, Physics, Photonics, Mechanical Engineering, Materials Science, or a related field. A B.S. with exceptional relevant experience is also considered; equivalent practical experience acceptable.

About the Company

Company: Volantis Semiconductor

Semiconductor hardware startup developing wafer-scale heterogeneous packages that integrate silicon and compound semiconductor dies for high-TDP AI platforms. Focus areas include advanced packaging design and process development, interposer technologies, thermal/mechanical challenges, and system co-design.