Senior R&D Engineer, Opto-Electronics

Entegris • Bloomington, MN

7d

About The Position

We are seeking a highly motivated Senior Opto-Electronics Engineer to join our advanced technology development team. In this role, you will lead the design and development of next-generation optical sensing and instrumentation systems used in demanding industrial and semiconductor applications. The ideal candidate combines expertise in optics, lasers, imaging systems, electronics, embedded sensing, and product development with a strong track record of bringing complex sensor products from concept through production. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including mechanical engineering, firmware, software, manufacturing, and data science to develop innovative measurement and inspection solutions. This position offers the opportunity to influence product architecture, evaluate emerging technologies, and solve challenging problems in optical sensing, machine vision, metrology, and process control.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or related discipline.
• 5+ years of experience developing opto-electronic products or sensor systems.
• Strong understanding of laser systems, optical sensors, photodetectors, cameras and imaging systems, and analog and mixed-signal electronics.
• Experience designing electrical schematics and supporting PCB development.
• Experience troubleshooting complex multidisciplinary systems involving optics, electronics, mechanics, and software.
• Demonstrated ability to transition technology from R&D into manufacturing.
• Strong experimental and analytical problem-solving skills.

Nice To Haves

• Master's or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or related fields.
• Experience developing imaging sensors, laser measurement instruments, industrial inspection systems, or metrology equipment.
• Experience with semiconductor process control or advanced manufacturing instrumentation.
• Knowledge of machine vision, deep learning applications for image analysis, computational imaging, spectroscopy, optical simulation and electrical design tools such as ZEMAX, Altium, LTSpice or similar.
• Experience with embedded systems and FPGA-based architectures.
• Familiarity with reliability testing, environmental qualification, and regulatory compliance.
• Experience developing customer-facing technical documentation and application notes.

Responsibilities

• System Architecture & Product Development: Design and develop advanced opto-electronic systems including laser-based, imaging-based, and photonic sensing products.
• Lead the development of industrial sensing technologies utilizing lasers, LEDs, photodetectors, cameras, and specialized optical components.
• Define system requirements and develop architectures that balance performance, reliability, manufacturability, and cost.
• Participate in all stages of product development from concept generation through commercialization.
• Optical & Electronic Design: Design analog and digital electronics for sensor systems, including signal conditioning, photodetector interfaces, laser drivers, illumination control, and embedded processing.
• Develop electrical schematics and oversee multilayer PCB design, layout reviews, and component selection.
• Perform optical modeling, tolerance analysis, and experimental characterization of optical assemblies.
• Evaluate and integrate imaging sensors, laser sources, optics, and opto-mechanical components.
• Imaging, Vision & Data Analysis: Develop imaging and illumination solutions for defect detection, measurement, and process monitoring applications.
• Investigate machine vision and computational imaging methodologies.
• Collaborate with software and use AI to generate datasets and improve inspection performance using machine learning techniques.
• Analyze sensor performance data and establish test methodologies for product verification and validation.
• Product Realization & Manufacturing Support: Release designs into production and support manufacturing scale-up activities.
• Troubleshoot complex electrical, optical, and system-level issues impacting product performance or yield.
• Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for field and production issues.
• Collaborate with supply chain and manufacturing organizations to improve reliability, cost, and manufacturability.
• Technical Leadership: Provide technical leadership on cross-functional development projects.
• Interface directly with field engineers, and business stakeholders to understand application needs.
• Author technical documentation including specifications, application notes, test procedures, and design reviews.
• Present project results, technical papers, and innovative concepts to internal and external audiences.

Benefits

• Annual bonus eligibility
• Progressive paid time off policy that empowers you to take the time you need to recharge
• Generous 401(K) plan with an impressive employer match with no delayed vesting
• Excellent health, dental and vision insurance packages to fit your needs
• Education assistance to support your learning journey
• A values-driven culture with colleagues that rally around People, Accountability, Creativity and Excellence

What This Job Offers

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