Director of Clinical Applications
Boston Imaging
Ray
Optical Sensing Engineer
ŌURA
full-time
Posted on:
Origin: • 🇺🇸 United States • California
Visit company websiteSalary
💰 $130,000 - $228,000 per year
Job Level
JuniorMid-Level
Tech Stack
Python
About the role
- Design and development of optical systems for physiological sensing in wearable health and wellness products
- Perform detailed optical simulations to guide emitter-detector design, placement, and light-path optimization within compact, body-worn devices
- Develop optical architectures that balance signal quality, power efficiency, and mechanical integration
- Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and firmware teams to ensure robust signal acquisition across diverse usage and environmental conditions
- Design and execute test protocols to evaluate system performance across various skin types, motion conditions, and lighting environments
- Partner with data science and signal processing teams to support feature development and improve signal robustness
- Interface with component vendors to assess and qualify optical emitters, detectors, filters, and mechanical elements for integration
- Report directly to the Director, Hardware Sensing Technologies and work on future wearables and accessory devices
- Travel occasionally to Finland and to international manufacturing sites as needed (15%–20%)
Requirements
- Deep understanding of optical sensing principles and light-tissue interaction for wearable physiological monitoring
- Strong experience with optical modeling and simulation tools (e.g., Speos, Zemax, LightTools, TracePro, COMSOL, or custom Monte Carlo simulations)
- Familiarity with emitter-detector design tradeoffs including wavelength selection, viewing angles, ambient light rejection, and drive current tuning
- Experience designing systems for robustness against motion artifacts, signal loss, and skin-tone variability
- Skilled in data analysis tools (Python, MATLAB, etc.) for signal evaluation and validation
- Hands-on experience with optical prototyping and test equipment: photodiodes, LEDs, filters, integrating spheres, power meters, etc.
- Ability to work through ambiguity and iterate on novel optical designs using a data-driven approach
- Experience debugging complex signal interactions between optics, physiology, motion, and system-level constraints
- Strong experimental design and root cause analysis skills
- Effective communicator across disciplines including electrical, mechanical, firmware, and product teams
- Comfortable contributing to documentation, planning, and milestone tracking
- Able to present technical tradeoffs clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
- Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Optical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with 7+ years of industry experience OR Master’s degree with 5+ years, OR PhD with 2+ years of experience
- Hands-on experience designing, building, and characterizing optical sensing systems in lab environments
- Skilled in measurement techniques for SNR, spectral response, ambient interference, and motion tolerance
- Bonus: Experience developing optical sensing systems for wearable or health-oriented consumer products
- Bonus: Familiarity with light-based physiological sensing techniques such as reflectance- or transmission-mode measurements
- Bonus: Knowledge of low-power optical system design and integration into thermally constrained environments
- Bonus: Experience supporting optical features through the full product lifecycle, from simulation and prototyping to manufacturing and field validation
- Bonus: Exposure to relevant regulatory or safety standards for optical or consumer health devices
