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Mission Neko is redefining what prevention means, from treating illness when it arrives, to sustaining health before it's ever at risk. Our mission: make data-driven, preventative care accessible to more people, before symptoms appear.   In a single, non-invasive visit under an hour, proprietary technology and direct clinical care combine to deliver personalised, actionable insights. It's a team that thinks in 10x, not 10%. Every role here plays a part in building a world where prevention is the norm, and where your work genuinely helps people live longer, healthier lives. The role We're looking for an Optics Engineering Lead with systems design experience. You'll work across the full life cycle — from early concept and simulation through to production validation — partnering with our hardware, software, and clinical teams to make sure our imaging delivers diagnostic-grade results at scale. At Neko, optics is a key discipline. It's a hands-on role with real responsibility, on a team that moves fast and builds things that matter. What you'll do - Design and simulate optical systems for medical imaging using Zemax. - Coordinate system design needs with other functions. - Set optical specifications, tolerances, and acceptance criteria together with our mechanical and electrical engineers. - Work with component vendors to qualify parts, manage supply, and balance cost against performance. - Lead the development of illumination systems, imaging optics, and structured-light or laser-based subsystems. - Take designs from prototype to production — including tolerance stack-up analysis, test plans, and manufacturing yield. - Measure optical system performance through MTF analysis, stray-light testing, and other metrology. - Work closely with our software and AI teams so the optical design matches what image processing needs downstream. - Contribute to design documentation, risk analysis, and regulatory submissions under ISO 13485, EU MDR, and eye-safety standards. What we're looking for Required: - Degree in optical engineering, photonics, applied physics, or a closely related field. - Hands-on experience designing and building real optical systems — prototypes that became products. - Deep knowledge of imaging optics, lens design, and illumination engineering. - Experience with optomechanical integration and a feel for thermal and mechanical tolerances. - Comfortable writing optical test protocols, interpreting MTF curves, and characterizing system performance. - Strong collaboration skills — you can turn optical constraints into clear requirements other teams can act on. - A solid understanding of systems-level design. - Uses AI as a working tool to speed up research, documentation, and routine analysis, while knowing where judgement can't be outsourced. Preferred: - Experience in medical imaging, industrial inspection, or other regulated imaging environments. - Familiarity with ISO 13485 or EU MDR medical device quality systems. - Familiarity with IEC 60825-1 or similar eye safety standards. - Background in structured light, time-of-flight, or multi-spectral imaging. - Experience working with volume manufacturing processes for optical assemblies. - Knowledge of image quality metrics beyond MTF — noise, dynamic range, colour accuracy. - Proficiency with optical design software (Zemax OpticStudio or similar). Why join this team at Neko Working with optics at Neko puts you in the frontline of product development. Together with your team, you own the optical architecture end to end, on products that genuinely don't exist anywhere else. Neko is its own customer, we develop instruments for our own clinics only. The team is small and senior. Five people, all at lead level, which means high trust, broad ownership, and no one to hide behind. If you've outgrown environments where optics is a sub-function of something bigger, this is the alternative.