{"id":1133003,"url":"https://alion.io/job/lyte-senior-optical-engineer","title":"Senior Optical Engineer","company":{"id":30000,"name":"Lyte","domain":"lyte.ai","url":"https://alion.io/company/lyte","size_band":"501-1000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Rippling","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":95,"open_postings":36,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":138,"computed_at":"2026-11-07T05:47:08Z"}},"role":"Semiconductors","role_family":"Semiconductors","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Sunnyvale, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":130000,"max_usd":238000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":83},"experience_years_min":7,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Python","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-23T01:16:20Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-09-23","last_verified_at":"2026-11-07T22:47:30Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":45,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":45},"description":"About Lyte\nLyte builds perception systems for Physical AI operating in complex environments. The company combines custom silicon, integrated sensors, and software into a unified platform for robotics, mobility, and next-generation automation. Lyte is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California, with a global presence. For more information, visit www.lyte.ai\nIf you’re excited about building impactful technology in a dynamic, hands-on environment, we’d love to hear from you!\nAbout the role\nWe are seeking a highly motivated and hands-on Senior Optical Engineer to join our System Optics Team. The team is responsible for defining, designing, delivering, and validating optical components and subsystems that meet product-level performance requirements.\nThis is a product engineering role rather than a pure R&D position. You will own optical components and subsystems from requirements definition and detailed design through qualification, manufacturing introduction, and sustaining support.\nThe successful candidate will lead lens and optical component design activities, including requirements and specification development, optical design and tolerancing, vendor execution, validation, and future-generation development. This role requires strong hands-on experience with optical design tools and lab-based optical testing and characterization.\nWhat you'll do\nOwn optical design activities for lenses, windows, mirrors, and other optical components, including engineering requirements, specification definition, and requirements flow-down from system-level performance targets.\nDevelop and optimize optical designs using Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, or equivalent tools, including optimization, tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo analysis, performance modeling, and manufacturability assessment.\nLead optical design execution across internal engineering teams, external design consultants, suppliers, and manufacturing partners.\nReview and approve optical design deliverables, including prescriptions, tolerance analyses, Monte Carlo results, drawings, and supplier documentation.\nDefine specifications, acceptance criteria, and validation methods for optical components and assemblies.\nPartner with optical suppliers and manufacturing teams to resolve design, fabrication, assembly, and performance issues.\nOwn optical designs from concept and prototype through qualification, NPI, and production support, including yield improvement, cost reduction, and sustaining engineering.\nPlan and execute hands-on optical testing and characterization, including MTF, wavefront error (WFE), distortion, relative illumination, boresight, and stray-light measurements.\nCorrelate measured optical performance with simulation models, design assumptions, and specifications.\nLead future-generation optical design efforts, including architecture studies, trade-off analyses, technology evaluations, and next-generation optical solutions.\nCollaborate with mechanical, electrical, firmware, DSP, software, manufacturing, quality, and supplier teams to ensure optical designs meet system-level requirements.\nLead optical design reviews and clearly communicate technical decisions, trade-offs, risks, and recommendations.\nDevelop practical solutions that balance optical performance, manufacturability, cost, schedule, and product requirements.\nDevelop analysis and automation workflows in Python or equivalent tools to support design, tolerancing, test correlation, and data analysis.\nAnalyze optical performance data and drive root-cause investigation of issues such as aberrations, alignment sensitivity, stray light, ghosting, tolerance stack-up, and manufacturing variation.\nRequired Qualifications\nMaster's or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, or a related field with 3-5+ years of relevant experience, or a bachelor's degree with 7+ years of relevant optical engineering experience.\nHands-on experience in lens or optical system design.\nProficiency with Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V, or equivalent optical design and simulation software.\nStrong fundamentals in geometrical and physical optics, imaging systems, aberration theory, and optical system engineering.\nExperience defining optical requirements and specifications from system-level performance requirements.\nExperience with optical tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, Monte Carlo analysis, and correlation between simulation and measured hardware performance.\nHands-on experience with optical testing, characterization, system bring-up, debugging, and validation.\nExperience with lens manufacturing processes, optical materials, coatings, mechanical interfaces, and design-for-manufacturing considerations.\nExperience supporting optical designs through qualification and manufacturing introduction.\nStrong analytical, problem-solving, and cross-functional communication skills.\nPreferred Qualifications\nExperience leading or technically managing optical design work performed by external consultants, optical suppliers, or manufacturing partners.\nExperience supporting optical products through production, including yield improvement, cost reduction, and sustaining engineering.\nExperience developing next-generation lens concepts, optical architectures, or system-level trade studies.\nExperience with optical component and system measurements including MTF, WFE, distortion, relative illumination, boresight, and stray light.\nExperience using Python or similar tools for optical analysis, test automation, and data analysis.\nExperience working across multidisciplinary teams spanning optics, mechanical, electrical, firmware, DSP, software, manufacturing, and quality.\nBenefits (subject to location and local regulations)\nCompetitive salary and equity \nComprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage \n401(k) retirement plan \nFlexible vacation and time-off policy \nCollaborative, fast-paced, and inclusive work environment \nOpportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies with a highly cross-functional 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