Optical Engineer

Intuitive•Roanoke, VA

4h•$118,600 - $200,700•Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a highly skilled and innovative Optical Engineer to lead the design, development, and testing of advanced optical systems tailored for next-generation Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) medical applications. In this role, you will work at the intersection of optics, biomedical engineering, and artificial intelligence, helping to turn complex optical data into actionable diagnostic and therapeutic insights. You will join a fast-paced, collaborative, multi-disciplinary team of hardware engineers, software developers, data scientists, and medical professionals.

Requirements

Ph.D. in Optics, Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Bioengineering, or a closely related field.
Deep knowledge of optical system design principles, wave optics, ray tracing, and optical instrumentation.
Hands-on experience with optical CAD and modeling software (e.g., Zemax, CODE V, LightTools, or Fred).
Proficiency in quantitative data analysis and scripting for laboratory automation using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW or C/C++.
Proven track record of taking optical designs from concept to benchtop prototype and testing.

Responsibilities

Conduct rigorous laboratory testing, alignment, calibration, and characterization of custom optical systems to ensure optical performance meets strict AI data quality requirements.
Work closely with data science and machine learning teams to design optical hardware optimized for AI feature extraction, data acquisition, and automated diagnostic workflows.
End-to-end design, modeling, and prototyping of optical systems (including lenses, illumination setups, detectors, and fiber optic delivery systems) targeted for medical imaging and sensing.
Collaborate with biomedical engineers, mechanical designers, firmware engineers, and clinical experts to integrate optical sub-systems into complete medical devices.
Maintain thorough design documentation, optical schematics, test protocols, and design histories in compliance with medical device regulatory standards (e.g., ISO 13485, FDA guidance).