Principal Optical Engineer

Principal Optical Engineer Overview

This opportunity is for a senior optical engineering specialist to help shape the optical architecture behind a new holographic data storage platform. The role sits within a product development environment where optical systems are being taken from early prototype work through to production, and the successful candidate will play a central role in defining how the technology is designed, validated, and prepared for scalable manufacture.

What you will do

• Take ownership of the optical architecture for the current product and the future development roadmap.
• Set the optical design direction from the earliest concept stage all the way through to production release.
• Guide optical engineering work across verification, validation, and production-readiness activities.
• Review Zemax optical models and formally approve them before hardware is manufactured.
• Develop optical designs that are driven by simulation and engineering analysis rather than repeated trial-and-error prototyping.
• Establish the key optical performance targets, tolerances, error budgets, and assumptions relating to thermal behaviour, mechanical constraints, and calibration.
• Improve the performance and reliability of precision optical subsystems used for encoding.
• Ensure the optical solution is practical to build, package, cost, and scale while still meeting performance goals.
• Work in close partnership with mechanical and mechatronics engineers to support integration, alignment, and precision motion requirements.
• Turn optical needs into clear engineering requirements that can be understood and used by multidisciplinary teams.
• Help move the product from prototype status into a manufacturable, scalable production solution.
• Engage with suppliers to assess feasibility, component tolerances, and suitable part selection.
• Provide technical leadership and influence across the team without relying on formal line-management authority.

What the employer is looking for

• Substantial industry experience in optical engineering or optical design.
• Strong hands-on capability with Zemax, including design creation, optimisation, and tolerancing.
• Evidence of owning major optical architecture choices or key optical design decisions in hardware products.
• Experience progressing optical systems from prototype into verification, validation, or production-intent development.
• Ability to define optical performance budgets and the assumptions used for calibration.
• Practical experience assembling, aligning, testing, and validating optical systems.
• A solid understanding of design-for-manufacture and design-for-assembly principles for optical hardware.
• Experience working with optical suppliers on feasibility, tolerances, and component selection.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to influence engineers across different disciplines.
• Experience leading through technical expertise rather than through direct people management.
• Useful additional background would include holography, optical encoding, or projection systems.
• Further desirable experience includes imaging systems, microscopes, or precision instrumentation.
• Exposure to photonics, metrology, or advanced manufacturing would also be advantageous.

Working arrangement

The position is based onsite in London, England.

Package

• 25 days of annual leave.
• Employer pension provision.
• A competitive salary package.

How to apply

Interested candidates are invited to apply directly. You can also contact Ella Flynn at IC Resources for further information about the role.

Degree Requirement: Not Specified

Visa Sponsorship May be