Optical Design Engineer

**Role title**: Optical Design Engineer

**Reports to**:Project Manager (as Line Manager) with dotted line to Lead Design Engineer

**Direct reports**:None

**Peers**:Design Engineers, Process engineers, Product manager

**Area of Responsibility: Optical and Opto-mechanical Design**

**Key stakeholders**:

- Current Products
- Sales & Marketing - voice of customer & critical for New Product ideation/development
- Operations - critical to ensure that New Products can be made relatively easily and avoid future supplier & Quality issues
- Quality & Continuous Improvement Leader - to ensure that the Engineering Department is continuously improving their performance & to prevent future Quality issues
- Customers - as required

**About this role**

Specac is a 50-year-old business with expertise in spectroscopy and optical equipment. Our mission is to empathise, innovate, commercialise, and manufacture new products. Through our customer focused strategy, we aim to truly understand and address our customer’spain points and bring them innovative products that meet their needs and expectations and deliver our business growth.

The Engineering department is responsible for technology and new product development and delivery, whilst also sustaining and continuously improving the existing product portfolio. A renewed focus on New Product Development (NPD) within the engineering teamwill be key to delivering our rapid growth strategy.

We are looking for someone to join us and become the Optical Design expert for the Engineering Department whilst also delivering Design objectives for projects assigned to you within your Project Manager’s cell. Whilst your focus will be Optics you willalso need to be able to learn/do system design and other skills to help bring projects to completion. You will be part of an innovative and dynamic team. Your expertise will be essential for the development of new products and the improvement of the currentportfolio, bringing value to the company.

**Key Responsibilities**:

- Lead Optical products or technologies Design & Development.
- Work with Project manager to translate product requirements into technical specifications & product testing methods.
- Ensure NPD’s (New products) are delivered on time and developed according to agreed requirements, specifications & cost.
- Ensure current Optical & Mechanical product designs are maintained with proper design, process & quality control.
- Ensure proper Risk assessment, DFMEA’s & DFM reviews are carried out cross functionally.
- Effectively communicate design intent, choices, and decisions to all stakeholders.
- Act as design authority and advisor to rest of the organisation.
- Define product testing standards and methods testing for research and development and effectively record results as required.
- Maintain awareness of current state-of-the-art engineering and manufacturing techniques.

**Essential Skills**:

- Optical systems design
- Degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline
- Experience in design and new product development.
- Understanding of interferometry, spectroscopy, and polarisation
- Proficiency in one or more of the following simulation software packages; Zemax, CodeV or LightTools.
- Proficiency in optical & mechanical DFM/DFA (design for manufacturing/assembly), tolerance stack up analysis, and statistical performance analysis.
- Good understanding of various manufacturing methods & techniques for high precision optical parts.
- Commercial awareness and experience in managing design & manufacturing trade-offs.
- Excellent logic, analytical and communication skills.

**Desirable Skills**
- Handson experience in optical products process development and manufacturing.
- Knowledge of mechanical design
- Experience of Solidworks or similar 3D CAD system
- Experience in electronics is a bonus.

**Other requirements**
- Demonstrable on-going career professional development and progression
- Travel as required