Optical Engineer

Magna International • Southfield, MI

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Optics Engineer is responsible for the design, development, characterization, validation, and technical support of automotive camera products. Responsibilities include development of lens, imager, camera-system, and optical test specifications; optical performance optimization; advanced laboratory characterization; manufacturing and calibration support; and resolution of complex optical performance issues throughout the product-development lifecycle.
The role may be assigned primarily to Optical Development, Optical Test and Characterization, or a combination of both, based on program and organizational needs. The engineer works independently on intermediate-to-advanced assignments and serves as a technical resource within cross-functional and global teams.

Requirements

• Master's degree in optical engineering, applied physics, electrical engineering, imaging science, or a related field. Ph.D. preferred.
• Four to eight years of relevant experience in optical design, camera development, optical testing, image-quality engineering, or related serial-product development.
• Automotive electronics or automotive camera development experience strongly preferred. Comparable experience in high-volume consumer, industrial, medical, or professional imaging products may be considered when directly relevant.
• Demonstrated experience independently executing complex optical engineering assignments and delivering practical, data-based results.
• Experience specifying, designing, or evaluating visible-spectrum lenses and imaging systems; automotive camera lens experience preferred.
• Strong knowledge of CMOS image-sensor characteristics, camera tuning, image-signal behavior, and their effects on system performance.
• Demonstrated competence in optical performance characterization and image-quality metrics, including MTF, distortion, relative illumination, flare, stray light, ghosting, color, noise, dynamic range, and related measures.
• Experience developing optical test strategies, laboratory setups, automated measurements, analysis methods, and test specifications for complex camera systems.
• Understanding of optical tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, measurement uncertainty, repeatability, reproducibility, and performance variation across environmental and manufacturing conditions.
• Cross-disciplinary understanding of optical-mechanical design, packaging, electrical design, software, image processing, thermal effects, manufacturing, assembly, and calibration.
• Experience with high-volume, cost-sensitive camera design and manufacturing, including design-for-manufacture and production-test considerations.
• Familiarity with automotive OEM camera requirements, customer-specific requirements, and environmental and durability expectations for automotive electronic modules.
• Demonstrated ability to independently diagnose complex optical problems, identify root cause, and lead corrective actions using structured methods such as 8D.
• Demonstrated innovation through patents, publications, test-method development, technical standards, reusable tools, or products brought to market.
• Ability to bring structure to ambiguous technical problems, establish direction, prioritize work, and guide teams toward sound engineering decisions.
• Optical design and analysis tools such as Zemax OpticStudio and/or CODE V.
• Camera and image-quality analysis tools, optical laboratory instruments, and optical-mechanical alignment setups.
• Data analysis and test automation using appropriate engineering tools; experience with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or equivalent platforms is preferred.
• Microsoft Office, with strong proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint for technical analysis and communication.
• Working knowledge of requirements management, configuration management, and project monitoring tools; PTC Codebeamer or equivalent experience preferred.
• Expert written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex optical topics clearly to technical and non-technical audiences.
• Ability to represent optical design and test topics internally, with suppliers, and with customers.
• Self-motivated, tenacious, and able to work independently with limited supervision while collaborating effectively in a global, cross-functional environment.
• Comprehensive knowledge of English. Knowledge of the local working language is an asset where applicable.
• Candidates must have current and ongoing authorization to work in the United States.
• This role is not eligible for visa sponsorship.

Nice To Haves

• Ph.D. preferred.
• Automotive electronics or automotive camera development experience strongly preferred.
• Comparable experience in high-volume consumer, industrial, medical, or professional imaging products may be considered when directly relevant.
• Automotive camera lens experience preferred.
• Experience with Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or equivalent platforms is preferred.
• PTC Codebeamer or equivalent experience preferred.
• Knowledge of the local working language is an asset where applicable.

Responsibilities

• Lead optical design and development activities for automotive camera products, including requirements definition, component evaluation, implementation, test, debug, and design release.
• Develop optical architectures and system-level specifications for lenses, CMOS imagers, illumination paths, filters, and complete camera systems.
• Evaluate CMOS image sensors and optimize camera performance through imager configuration, register tuning, and quantitative image-quality assessment.
• Develop or specify multi-element lenses optimized for automotive near-field and far-field applications.
• Perform optical tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, and design-tradeoff assessments that balance performance, robustness, manufacturability, and cost.
• Provide technical ownership of optical performance requirements and support program milestones, design reviews, customer deliverables, and launch readiness.
• Identify optical technical risks and define practical mitigation plans to protect program timing, quality, and customer commitments.
• Develop, implement, validate, and continuously improve optical test methods for lenses, image sensors, and complete automotive camera systems.
• Perform advanced optical characterization, including MTF and spatial resolution, distortion, relative illumination, color and spectral response, noise and dynamic range, flare, stray light, ghosting, veiling glare, and overall image quality.
• Develop test specifications, procedures, acceptance criteria, correlation methods, measurement-system analyses, and reporting templates for camera development programs.
• Design and automate optical test processes to improve throughput, repeatability, data quality, and utilization of laboratory equipment.
• Analyze complex optical performance issues, use quantitative data to determine root cause, and recommend corrective actions to development, manufacturing, supplier, and customer teams.
• Plan and execute validation activities throughout the development lifecycle while enabling parallel support of multiple programs without compromising technical rigor.
• Evaluate emerging optical measurement technologies and characterization methods that improve next-generation camera development and validation.
• Interface with mechanical, electrical, hardware, software, systems, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams to ensure seamless integration of the optical system into the ECU and camera module.
• Assess the effects of mechanical packaging, assembly tolerances, thermal behavior, contamination, calibration, electronics, and software processing on optical performance.
• Support manufacturing process development, assembly, end-of-line testing, calibration, yield improvement, and correlation between development and production measurement systems.
• Support customer escalations, field investigations, design-validation issues, and structured corrective-action activities using disciplined problem-solving methods.
• Serve as a technical resource and subject-matter expert for camera optics, optical characterization, image-quality analysis, and test methodology.
• Mentor engineers and technicians in optical measurement techniques, data interpretation, laboratory practices, and structured problem solving.
• Drive continuous-improvement initiatives that increase optical test efficiency, technical depth, repeatability, and organizational capability.
• Provide clear, data-based technical recommendations to internal leadership, cross-functional teams, suppliers, and customers.
• Contribute to optical technology roadmaps, lessons learned, standard methods, reusable tools, and knowledge transfer across global engineering teams.
• Perform other duties as necessary in support of business objectives, safety requirements, and the Quality Operating System.

Benefits

• We invest in our employees, providing them with the support and resources they need to succeed.
• As a member of our global team, you can expect exciting, varied responsibilities as well as a wide range of development prospects.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level