Senior Optical Designer

Want to make your mark on our time? Become an Optical Designer at TNO in Delft!

About this position

High-quality optical systems are developed at TNO, with the Optics department playing a key role. We create breakthrough optical solutions for a healthier, safer, more sustainable and digital world, for challenging applications and demanding environments, together with our partners. We develop such solutions for the Space and Semiconductor industries; quantum technologies; structural health monitoring systems; medical applications and big science instruments.

What will be your role?

Customers include ITER, Airbus, NASA and ESA. With a background in optical physics or engineering, you will be an optical designer within the Optics department, which consists of 60 colleagues, with whom you will work closely. You will also be in regular contact with optical manufacturing, system engineers, thermal and mechanical engineers, and calibration and integration specialists from the Opto-mechatronics, Semiconductor Equipment Lifetime/Metrology, Quantum Technology and Space Systems Engineering departments.

As an optical designer you will be initiating and executing the optical design process for optical systems for imaging and illumination. This process ranges from requirements discovery and budget allocation together with the System Engineer through paraxial and nominal design to a final, toleranced design with an accompanying alignment plan. The ability to perform straylight, polarization, diffraction, STOP (structural, thermal and optical performance), and cost analyses is also essential to the role. You will also be expected to lead a small team of designers on bigger projects, coach more junior members, and support the knowledge development of the Optical Design team as a whole, creating as well as implementing innovations in optical design. You will regularly and intensively discuss and challenge results, progress, deviations and possible improvements with the team and the project manager.

What we expect from you

As an optical designer you will be responsible for the design of high end optical systems. For this role you will work a lot with colleagues from different disciplines. It is important that you collaborate smoothly, proactively keep stakeholders up-to-date, and that designs and analyses are carefully executed and documented. Given the key position of optical design in an optical instrument, a considerable level of creativity, autonomy, maturity, ingenuity, initiative and communication is expected from you. To be able to perform the role well, it is important that you recognize yourself in the following profile. You:

• Have a background in optical physics or engineering, at least at Masters level, and have at least 10 years of working experience with a proven track record for the tasks described above.
• Have an affinity with complex optical systems.
• Are experienced with using the optical design software Ansys Zemax OpticStudio and/or CodeV, and with programming languages such as Python or Matlab.
• Are able to lead a team of optical designers in larger projects and coordinate their tasks and budget together with the project manager.
• Have experience with designing instruments for the thermal infrared (TIR) is preferred.
• Have experience and/or affinity with one or more of the following topics is optional, but beneficial: artificial intelligence, integrated photonics, nanophotonics, and opto-acoustics.
• Are able to communicate in English (you will have many international colleagues).

What you'll get in return

Challenging and varied work with a real impact. And plenty of opportunities as, at TNO, you are in charge of shaping your career. In addition, you will be given every opportunity to develop yourself.

Perhaps you would like to grow your career in the direction of commerce or consultancy? Or would you like to become a project manager? Immerse yourself in sustainable innovations? Or carve out a career as a technical expert?

• An extremely professional, innovative working environment where colleagues are leading experts in their field.
• The opportunity to attend courses, workshops and conferences, and to receive training and coaching based on your needs.
• 33 days annual leave on a full-time basis plus a flexible holiday (prorated) that can be used on a cultural, religious, or otherwise important day of your choosing.
• Flexible working hours, the possibility to work parttime (32 or 36 hours) and the possibility of working from home.
• A good pension scheme.

TNO as an employer

At TNO, we innovate for a healthier, safer and more sustainable life. And for a strong economy. We find each other in wonder and ingenuity. We are driven to push boundaries. There is all the space and support for your talent and ambition. You work with people who will challenge you: who inspire you and want to learn from you. Our state-of-the-art facilities are there to realize your vision. What you do at TNO matters: impact makes the difference. Because with every innovation you contribute to tomorrow’s world.