Optical Engineer

Optical Engineer

Santa Clara, CA (Onsite)

We are seeking a hands-on, mid-level Optical Engineer to help develop, model, optimize, test, and productize next-generation spectroscopy platforms and gas measurement products.

Picarro's products deliver real-time measurements of critical gases at parts-per-billion and parts-per-trillion levels. As an Optical Engineer II, you will join a world-class team developing high-precision systems based on Cavity Ringdown Spectroscopy (CRDS), broadband lasers, fiber-coupled optical architectures, coated optics, and advanced optomechanical assemblies. This role is intended for an engineer with strong optical fundamentals who can apply first-principles reasoning, Zemax-based modeling, and disciplined experimental methods to improve optical performance, robustness, manufacturability, and yield.

The position reports to the Director of Spectrometer e

The ideal candidate is a practical, hands-on optical engineer with deep curiosity about light, optical components, and optical processes. They are comfortable moving between first-principles analysis, optical modeling, laboratory measurements, and product-level troubleshooting. This individual understands Gaussian beams, fiber coupling, resonator coupling, coatings, optical alignment, tolerancing, and component-level tradeoffs, and can use tools such as Zemax Optic Studio to model and optimize real systems rather than treating simulation as a black box.

The right person is detail-oriented, data-driven, collaborative, and motivated to develop manufacturable, reliable, high-performance optical systems.

Contribute to the design, modeling, build, integration, optimization, and transfer of advanced optical and electro-optomechanical systems for Picarro's next-generation CRDS products. Support prototype and pilot builds, develop and refine optical alignment and coupling processes, select and qualify optical components, document methods and results, troubleshoot performance issues, and work with cross-functional teams to improve sensitivity, stability, manufacturability, reliability, and yield.

• Optical Physics and First-Principles Analysis: Apply a strong understanding of Gaussian beam propagation, cavity optics, interference, polarization, scattering, absorption, diffraction, and optical power budgets to analyze and improve real optical systems.
• Optical Modeling and Zemax: Build, maintain, and interpret optical models using Zemax Optic Studio or equivalent tools, including beam propagation, tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, alignment sensitivity, and performance trade studies.
• Fiber Coupling Optimization: Develop, model, align, and optimize fiber-coupled optical subsystems, including mode matching, coupling efficiency, back-reflection management, polarization considerations, and stability over environmental and manufacturing variation.
• Cavity Coupling Optimization: Support cavity input/output coupling optimization for CRDS systems, including mode matching, mirror selection, alignment strategy, optical feedback sensitivity, throughput, ringdown performance, and stability.
• Coating Development and Specification: Work with internal teams and suppliers to define, evaluate, and improve optical coatings for mirrors, lenses, filters, windows, and other optical components, including reflectivity, transmission, absorption, scatter, durability, and environmental performance.
• Optical Component Selection and Qualification: Select, specify, test, and qualify lasers, fibers, lenses, mirrors, isolators, filters, detectors, coatings, and other optical components based on performance, reliability, manufacturability, availability, and cost.
• Optical Test and Characterization: Plan and execute optical measurements, collect and analyze data, develop test methods, quantify uncertainty, and connect measured behavior back to optical models and first-principles expectations.
• System Troubleshooting and Root Cause Analysis: Diagnose optical performance issues in complex electro-optomechanical systems, identify root causes, and recommend design, process, supplier, or test improvements.
• Man…