Senior NPI Optical Engineer

Nautilus Biotechnology · San Carlos

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At Nautilus, we have a big and important mission: improve the health of millions by unleashing the potential of the proteome to accelerate drug development and enable a new world of precision and personalized medicine. We are developing a single-molecule protein analysis platform of unprecedented sensitivity, scale, and ease of use that we believe will democratize access to the proteome – one of the most dynamic and valuable sources of biological insight. To accomplish this, we are pursuing deep, hard science with an entrepreneurial mindset and creating a world-class team of builders, innovators, and dreamers across a wide range of disciplines.

We are seeking a highly motivated hands on Senior NPI Engineer – Optics with expertise in biotechnology hardware to join our instrument operations team. The ideal candidate will play a key role in scaling and optimizing the production of our proteomics platform. The candidate will collaborate with R&D, supply chain and contract manufacturing to ensure the highest product quality and most efficient production. This role involves transferring subassembly designs from R&D, developing and refining manufacturing processes, troubleshooting hardware issues, and driving continuous improvements in production efficiency and reliability.

Responsibilities

• Partner with R&D on new product introductions (NPI), ensuring smooth handoff from development to production

• Design, develop, and optimize manufacturing processes for optical assemblies, including lens systems, illumination modules, laser subsystems, and camera integrations used in biotech instrumentation

• Test, calibrate, and align optical modules, camera systems, and laser components to ensure performance meets design specifications and production tolerances

• Develop and maintain calibration procedures, alignment protocols, and acceptance criteria for optical and laser subsystems

• Establish and maintain process documentation including SOPs, work instructions, traveler sheets, and control plans

• Develop and implement fixtures, tooling, and automated assembly aids to improve yield, repeatability, and throughput

• Proficiency in design for manufacturability and reliability.

• Qualify new manufacturing processes and equipment; write and execute IQ/OQ/PQ protocols in compliance with ISO 13485 or FDA 21 CFR Part 820 requirements

• Evaluates manufacturing processes by designing and conducting production failure modes and effect analysis

• Support supplier qualification and incoming inspection criteria for optical components such as mirrors, prisms, filters, fiber optics, and coated optics

• Assures product and process quality by designing testing methods.

• Prepares product and process reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information and trends.

• Completes design and development projects by training and guiding technicians.

Requirements

• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related field

• 5–7 years of experience in a manufacturing or process engineering role, preferably in medical devices, diagnostics, or life sciences instrumentation

• Working knowledge of optical principles: geometric optics, alignment techniques, fiber coupling, interferometry, or spectroscopy preferred

• Familiarity with optical alignment and characterization equipment (autocollimators, interferometers, optical power meters, spectrometers)

• Experience with precision assembly techniques in cleanroom or controlled environments

• Proficiency with GD&T, engineering drawings, and CAD tools (SolidWorks or equivalent)

• Understanding of quality management systems — ISO 13485, FDA QSR, or GMP manufacturing environments

• Hands-on experience with statistical process control (SPC), DOE, and FMEA methodologies

• Strong problem-solving skills with a bias toward data-driven decision-making

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with fluorescence-based imaging, flow cytometry, PCR instrumentation, or similar biotech platforms

• Familiarity with automated optical inspection (AOI) or machine vision systems

• Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt certification

• Familiarity with Arena and NetSuite

Nautilus Team Culture

• We are determined to do whatever it takes to get our platform into the hands of researchers who will use it to upend the status quo in basic research and healthcare.

• We work on cross functional teams, wear many hats, take risks to work through uncertainty, enjoy working collaboratively on challenging problems, and celebrate one another’s victories.

• We go above and beyond, but also strive to provide a supportive atmosphere of colleagues who are willing to lend a helping hand and make working at Nautilus not only fulfilling in its end goals, but enjoyable on a day-to-day basis.

Our Values:

• Be Excellent

• Be a Good Human

• Catalyze Customer Success

• Dream Big

• Drive for Results

• Enjoy the Voyage

• Succeed as One Team

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