Job Description
Musashi AI North America, Inc. is a growing hardware and software focused company that builds and develops smart vision solutions for quality assurance in manufacturing environments. Based in Waterloo, Ontario, Musashi AI North America employs a talented and dynamic team of R&D and Applications Engineers who provide unique engineering development activities in design, prototyping and testing to drive new technology development, build innovative products, and maintain and support our deployed solutions.
As a Senior Optical Engineer , you will join the Musashi AI North American team to create and implement customer facing Data Science applications that utilize the latest available web and cloud technologies to grow our expanding inspection software product line and support new solution opportunities that deliver value to our customers.
Reports to : Director of Engineering
Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s, Master’s, or PhD in Mechanical Engineering, Design Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
- Degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field (Bachelor’s required; Master’s or PhD preferred).
- 5+ years of hands-on experience in optical design and imaging systems, ideally for machine vision, inspection, or automation applications.
- Expertise in lens selection and specification for industrial vision, including understanding of focal length, aperture, working distance, magnification, and distortion.
- Experience selecting and integrating industrial cameras, including knowledge of sensor types (CCD/CMOS), resolution, pixel size, frame rate, interface protocols (USB3, GigE, MIPI), and shutter types.
- Strong foundation in optical theory and application, including:
- Depth of field and field of view calculations
- Telecentric vs. entocentric lensing
- MTF (modulation transfer function) and resolution tradeoffs
- Illumination geometry and contrast optimization
- Experience with imaging system calibration and test procedures, including alignment, geometric distortion correction, and sensor-lens matching.
- Programming or scripting experience for optical system automation or image data analysis (Python preferred; MATLAB or similar acceptable).
- Proficiency in 3D CAD software (e.g., SolidWorks, Fusion 360) for optical component and fixture design, particularly where mechanical-optical integration is required.
- Proven ability to troubleshoot and optimize optical setups in complex, real-world environments, especially those involving AI-based or computer vision pipelines.
- Strong collaborative skills with the ability to communicate effectively across multidisciplinary engineering teams (mechanical, electrical, software, AI/ML).
- Experience with simulation environments (e.g., NVIDIA Omniverse) for virtual testing of vision systems or synthetic data generation to support AI model training.
Job Responsibilities:
- Use mechanical engineering and optics techniques to develop optical and imaging systems.
- Lead the design and development of advanced optical and imaging systems for automated visual inspection.
- Utilize mechanical engineering and optics techniques to enhance system performance and data quality.
- Drive exploratory research to identify and implement improvements in data capture methodologies.
- Perform optical feasibility studies to assess new imaging concepts, evaluate system trade-offs, and determine suitability of components and configurations for specific application requirements.
- Evaluate and troubleshoot existing automated test systems to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
- Implement modifications and optimizations to improve accuracy, efficiency, and system robustness.
- Translate customer and vendor requirements into actionable inspection criteria and design specifications.
- Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of optical systems into industrial environments.
- Lead projects from conception through to deployment, managing timelines, resources, and risks.
- Conduct applied research to support the development and testing phases of projects, staying ahead of industry trends.
- Investigate new technologies and make data-driven value propositions to improve system efficiencies.
- Develop and refine testing protocols for comprehensive analysis of optical products and components.
- Prepare detailed technical reports outlining procedures, methodologies, and results.
- Read and interpret technical drawings and datasheets to suggest model and process improvements.
- Perform regular maintenance and calibration of optical inspection systems to ensure precise measurements and system longevity.
- Familiarity with intellectual property management and contributing to patent filings.
- Travel to Musashi and its customers & partners facilities for projects, meetings, and training as required.
- Continuously learn new tools, techniques, and theories to maintain cutting-edge knowledge in the field.
- Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement within the team and the broader organization.
Technical Skills:
- Imaging & Vision Systems: CMOS/CCD sensor selection, lens design/specification, MTF analysis, DOF/FOV calculations, telecentric optics, image calibration
- Scripting & Automation: Python, MATLAB, NumPy, OpenCV
- 3D CAD & Mechanical Integration: SolidWorks, AutoCAD
- Image Acquisition & Interfaces: Pylon SDK, GenICam, USB3 Vision, GigE Vision, MIPI CSI, CameraLink
- System Calibration & Testing: Image quality metrics, focus and alignment routines, distortion correction, test fixture development
- Version Control & Collaboration: Git, GitLab, Jira, Confluence
- Operating Systems: Linux, Windows
Personal Skills:
- Analytical and conceptual thinking with creative and innovative ideas.
- Effective time management, planning, and organization skills.
- Strong ability to communicate both verbally and written in an independent and team-based environment.
- Professionalism, maturity and sound judgment.
- Ingenuity and initiative; able to deal with ambiguity.
- Pleasant, confident, and assertive team player.
Musashi AI North America Expectations:
Company Standards:
- Uphold company policies and integrity.
- Be a champion of Musashi Philosophy.
- Follow all safety procedures & instructions.
- Active involvement in company and department goals.
- Follow Musashi’s “5S” principles, quality, environmental, and health & safety systems.
- Interact with all Musashi working peers in a respectful and pleasant manner.
Please note: This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the associate for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.
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