Senior Research Engineer II (MIV/OIS), SIMTech

Job Description

The Optics and Imaging Systems (OIS) Group is a one-stop provider of automated optical inspection technologies. The Group carries out collaborative research with academic institutions, co-develops equipment and devices with companies and provide technical services and training to the manufacturing industry. The OIS Group is seeking a highly motivated Research Engineer to contribute to the research, design, development and deployment of next-generation automated inspection systems. This multidisciplinary role encompasses mechanical design, software development, hardware integration and artificial intelligence (AI) for machine vision applications in optical and imaging domains. The successful candidate will work closely with researchers and engineers across optics, imaging, electronics and AI to transform innovative concepts into robust industrial solutions.

The candidate will support the Group’s R&D activities, with a focus on the following areas:

• Development of automated optical inspection (AOI) and machine vision systems
• Mechanical and opto-mechanical design for precision imaging platforms
• Software development for image acquisition, processing, visualization and system control
• Integration of cameras, optics, motion systems, sensors, and illumination modules into complete inspection solutions
• Development and assembly of functional prototypes for lab testing and industrial pilots
• Development and deployment of AI-based algorithms for defect detection, classification and process monitoring
• System prototyping, validation and industrial translation of emerging inspection technologies

The key roles and responsibilities include, but are not limited to the following:

• Mechanical: Design and develop mechanical and opto-mechanical subsystems for precision optical inspection platforms. Create 3D CAD models, engineering drawings and assemblies for prototype and production-ready systems. Support fabrication, assembly, testing, and optimization.
• Software: Develop software for machine vision system control, image acquisition, data processing and user interfaces. Implement image processing and computer vision algorithms for inspection and metrology applications. Develop software tools for system calibration, performance evaluation and automated reporting. Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to integrate software modules into complete inspection systems.
• Hardware Integration: Integrate optical, mechanical, electrical and motion control components into functional inspection platforms. Configure and optimize imaging hardware including cameras, lenses, illumination systems and sensors.
• AI & Intelligent Inspection: Develop and implement AI and machine learning algorithms for automated defect detection, classification, segmentation and anomaly detection. Train, validate and deploy deep learning models for industrial inspection applications.