Senior Optical R&D Engineer - Microscopy Development

About Us

Cambridge Raman Imaging develops label-free Raman spectroscopy and imaging systems for medical diagnostics (disease detection and classification) and microplastics tracing. We build end-to-end products that combine optics, hardware integration and AI-driven software to deliver real-world, production-ready imaging solutions. We’re looking for a hands-on Senior Optical Engineer to lead microscopy development and drive optical subsystems from prototype to product.

The role — what you’ll own

As a Senior Optical Engineer (Microscopy Development) you will lead the design, development, tolerance analysis, and production of our coherent Raman imaging platforms. You will work across R&D, product, and manufacturing to deliver robust, manufacturable optical systems and to mentor more junior engineers.

Key responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end optical design of the microscope, from spec definition through to production release.
• Perform optical tolerance and sensitivity analysis and define assembly/adjustment procedures to meet performance and yield targets.
• Collaborate closely with the mechanical designer to define tolerances and design of custom-made optical mounts.
• Integrate optical systems with lasers (including fiber lasers), scanners, detectors, mechanics and electronics; define interface requirements and perform system-level alignment and verification.
• Troubleshoot complex optical issues in lab and production environments, propose pragmatic fixes, and implement long-term design improvements.
• Lead optical testing, calibration and verification: develop test plans, execute experiments, analyse results, and produce concise technical reports.
• Independently perform critical data analysis of experimental and production data (image metrics, SNR, PSF, throughput, stability) and present findings clearly to stakeholders.
• Mentor and review work from junior engineers and technicians; foster good engineering practices (documented designs, version control, lab notebooks).
• Communicate issues, trade-offs, and design decisions clearly and concisely to cross-functional teams (product management, software/AI, QA, supply chain).
• Contribute to product roadmaps, risk assessments and continuous improvement of optical subsystems.

Required qualifications/skills

• PhD (preferred) or MSc with significant industry experience in Optical Engineering, Physics, Photonics, or equivalent.
• 3+ years hands-on experience designing and building microscope or optical imaging systems, preferably in a product development / production context.
• Proven ability to independently design optical setups, define tolerance stacks, and produce manufacturable designs.
• Practical alignment and lab experience: mounts, alignment tools, objectives and detector characterization.
• Strong data analysis skills; proficient in MATLAB for data processing, analysis and visualization. Experience with Python is a plus.
• Product/production mindset: experience working with suppliers, and transferring designs to prototyping and manufacturing/test.
• Excellent problem-solving skills — methodical, pragmatic, and able to balance ideal performance with production constraints.
• Proven ability to manage time, prioritise across multiple projects, and deliver to milestones independently.
• Clear, concise communication skills: able to write technical reports and present results to technical and non-technical audiences.

Nice-to-have

• Experience with coherent Raman, multiphoton, or nonlinear microscopy systems.
• Practical experience with fiber lasers, scanning galvanometers, or high-speed imaging detectors.
• Experience with environmental/stability testing and long-term system reliability studies.
• Prior experience operating in a regulated device development environment.

What we offer

• High-impact role contributing to real products that improve diagnostics and environmental monitoring.
• Collaborative, multidisciplinary team with strong mentorship and technical leadership.
• Opportunity to take optical designs from concept to deployed product and to influence product roadmap.
• Competitive compensation and benefits (details discussed during interview).
• Inclusive, innovation-driven culture in a fast-moving hardware + AI company.

How to apply

Send your CV and a short cover letter (1 page) describing a past microscopy or optical system project you led, the main engineering challenges you solved, and the measurable outcome to: Please include “Senior Optical Engineer — Microscopy Development” in the subject line.