Optical Engineer
About R-Zero
R-Zero is the first biosafety technology company dedicated to making the indoor spaces we share safer, healthier and more productive. Founded to meet a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rethink how society approaches health in the built environment, we develop the most effective and innovative technologies to create safer, healthier buildings for all. Combining space utilization sensor technology, AI, ML and IoT connected hardware, R-Zero's intelligent biosafety platform provides first-of-its-kind visibility, automation and smart risk reduction in the indoor environments where humans spend 90% of their time. Today, R-Zero is emerging as a world-leader in delivering category-defining technology to deliver healthier indoor spaces for all.
We are a fast-growing startup, backed by the world-leading experts at Mayo Clinic and thought-leaders across health, hospitality, sports, commercial real estate and impact sectors - including those who have propelled some of the most transformative tech and innovation in history. DBL Partners, World Innovation Lab (WiL), SOSV, and John Doerr have all invested in our vision for a future that prioritizes health in the built environment.
As we grow our team, we're looking for candidates who aren't afraid to challenge the status quo, and are motivated to usher in a better future via better buildings.
Opportunity Overview:
We are seeking an Optical Engineer who is motivated to use analytical and detail-oriented skills to advance R-Zero's optical, reflector, and lensing capabilities. This team member will lead the development and analysis of next-generation optical tools for the design and optimization of existing and new R-Zero products.
What You'll Do:
- Optimize and create new optical capabilities for R-Zero using both simulation and practical testing.
- Design, set up, and operate various custom testing environments for optical analysis.
- Own simulations for room-scale light behavior and its impact on product performance and design.
- Help design next-generations lenses and reflectors for directing UVC light.
- Substantially improve development test resources to accelerate new product introduction and inform future development.
- Contribute effort, leadership, and creative thinking to solve complex problems in a collaborative fashion and under tight deadlines.
- Apply UV light simulation in analyzing germicidal efficacy and occupancy safety.
- Support ray tracing software development and validation.
Requirements
What We're Looking For:
- Ability to work 5 days a week in our Milpitas or San Francisco offices
- 5+ years of professional experience
- Bachelor's degree or master's degree with one or two notable contributions in optics design
- Background of direct lab experience in the development of optical setups for product development, preferably for imaging applications in the ultraviolet wavelength spectrum
- Fluent in use of optical design software like Visual Lighting
- Ability to design and perform design of experiments (DOE) related to optical component and subsystem prototype development and source characterizations in lab environments is required
- Experience performing optical test functions throughout the product development lifecycle from concept to mass production to sustaining production support
- Experience with electrical prototyping and debugging, such as Arduino, Raspberry Pi, soldering, multi-meter, oscilloscope, etc.
- Experience with rapid prototyping including 3d printing
- Demonstrated ability to take initiative, communicate effectively, and work both independently and within a team
- Ability to communicate complex concepts, problems, and solutions clearly to all levels within the organization
- Ability to work very fast-have an idea in the morning and build and test prototypes before the afternoon
- Experience creating software tools or frameworks to accelerate testing
Travel
This position may require up to 25% domestic travel.
We know that great work comes from great, and inclusive teams. At R-Zero, we specifically look for individuals with diverse strengths, skills, backgrounds, and ideas. We believe this gives us a competitive advantage to better serve our customers and mission, while helping us grow as a team and individuals.
Benefits
You'll love working at R-Zero because of our:
- High-impact mission and purpose-driven team / culture
- Competitive salary, startup equity + incentives
- Excellent healthcare benefits (medical, dental, vision) covered at 100% for employees, with active enrollment eligibility - so coverage starts on day one
- We're in the business of improving human health for all, so the health of every employee and their families is key
- 401(k) program with zero waiting period, so you can start investing in your future on day one
- Dedication to deep work on Wednesday - no internal meetings, so you can focus on what's most important
- Unlimited time off
- Company-sponsored quarterly meetups to connect as a team
Perks are nice, but perks aren't what makes R-Zero an incredible place to work. It's our mission, team, and the opportunity to move society forward with impact-driven work that does. At R-Zero, we're building category-defining technology to solve one of society's greatest challenges, and our work compels us to show up each day for our customers and our teams, while feeling well supported in our benefits.
Tied to our science-based mission focused on health and safety, R-Zero maintains a policy requiring all employees to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19. Our priority is first and foremost the health and safety of our employees, partners and our community. Please note that R-Zero is an equal opportunity employer and we will comply with applicable law regarding accommodations.