Optical Engineer
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Nov 6, 2026. First seen by Alion on Nov 5, 2026.
Snap Inc is a technology company. We believe the camera presents the greatest opportunity to improve the way people live and communicate. Snap contributes to human progress by empowering people to express themselves, live in the moment, learn about the world, and have fun together.
The Company operates Snapchat, a visual messaging app that enhances your relationships with friends, family, and the world, and Specs Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary dedicated to making computing more human, in addition to Bitmoji, Saturn, and other digital services.
We’re looking for an Optical Engineer to join Snap Inc! You'll be part of a camera and optics group, responsible for the development of potential future AR display hardware, as well as prototyping and verification of display systems. Working from our Boulder, Colorado office, you’ll collaborate with User Research, Image Quality, Mechanical, Electrical, and Software to develop new display prototypes, verify display performance, develop testing hardware, software, and procedures for Snap Lab.
What you’ll do:
- Working with the optical design team, you will prototype novel display systems
- Tolerance and sensitivity analysis based on the optical design, opto-mechanical design, and prototyping partner tolerances and design rules.
- Characterization of the full display system and its individual projection and combiner components.
- Root cause analysis of discrepancies between the system model and performance measurements.
- Detailed analysis and measurement of performance as a function of use case and environmental condition
- Transition of display system and component designs to prototyping partners.
- Travel to supplier facilities for product development and prototyping bring-up
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
- Knowledge of compact AR display systems, projectors, waveguides, manufacturing and testing
- Knowledge of projection components such as LCoS, DLP, micro-LED, and laser scanners
- Knowledge of optical combiner technologies
- Knowledge of diffractive and holographic optical elements
- Skills in radiometry
- Skills in image data manipulation and computation and interpretation of standard display quality metrics
- Knowledge of radiometric measurement and calibration using spectrophotometers and colorimeters
- Ability to work independently and manage internal and external resources
Minimum Qualifications:
- 8+ years of experience prototyping, analyzing, and testing AR display systems
- Bachelor's degree optical engineering, electrical engineering, computer science or related field, or equivalent practical experience
Preferred Qualifications:
- Experience with rapid prototyping and 3D printing
- Experience with the assembly of miniature optical systems
- Experience with CodeV, Lighttools, and Solidworks or the equivalent
- Experience with Python/Matlab for data analysis
If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please don’t be shy and provide us some information.
"Default Together" Policy at Snap: At Snap Inc. we believe that being together in person helps us build our culture faster, reinforce our values, and serve our community, customers and partners better through dynamic collaboration. To reflect this, we practice a “default together” approach and expect our team members to work in an office 4+ days per week.
At Snap, we believe that having a team of diverse backgrounds and voices working together will enable us to create innovative products that improve the way people live and communicate. Snap is proud to be an equal opportunity employer, and committed to providing employment opportunities regardless of race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, childbirth and breastfeeding, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other protected classification, in accordance with applicable federal, state, and local laws. EOE, including disability/vets.
Our Benefits: Snap Inc. is its own community, so we’ve got your back! We do our best to make sure you and your loved ones have everything you need to be happy and healthy, on your own terms. Our benefits are built around your needs and include paid parental leave, comprehensive medical coverage, emotional and mental health support programs, and compensation packages that let you share in Snap’s long-term success!