Kodiak Sciences

Senior Optical Engineer — VETi Platform

Kodiak Sciences  •  Palo Alto, CA (Onsite)  •  10 hours ago
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Job Description

Kodiak Sciences (Nasdaq: KOD) is advancing vision science by integrating retinal biology, optics, artificial intelligence, medical imaging, and next-generation wearable technologies.
Our VETi™ — Visual Engagement Technology and Imager — platform is an AI-enabled wearable system combining advanced LiDAR, Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT), embedded computing, machine learning, and AR/VR technologies. VETi is being developed for applications in retina care, digital health, identity security, cognitive science, and broader AI-enabled vision technologies.
 
We are looking for a Senior Optical Engineer to build the optical foundation for Kodiak’s VETi platform, from system concept through validated, production-ready instruments. This role is well suited for an engineer with strong optical design fundamentals who enjoys complex imaging and sensing problems and is excited to build optical systems that enable advanced medical imaging and wearable technologies. We are seeking strong optical engineers who are curious about medical imaging and motivated to work on advanced wearable technologies.
Responsibilities
  • Lead the design, simulation, and validation of optical systems for wearable imaging and sensing — from concept through production.
  • Design confocal laser scanning, OCT, and related optical subsystems for retinal imaging and diagnostics.
  • Model and optimize optical systems in Zemax — including tolerancing, stray-light analysis, and performance budgets.
  • Build and characterize optical benchtop prototypes, integrating sources, detectors, lenses, and MEMS scanners.
  • Bring up new optical assemblies and debug image-quality issues across optical, mechanical, electrical, and software domains.
  • Work with software and ML teams on image-processing algorithms for raw optical data, contributing optical-domain expertise on signal characteristics, calibration, and artifacts.
  • Collaborate with electrical, mechanical, firmware, software, machine learning, and clinical teams.
Education / Required Qualifications
  • M.S. or Ph.D. in Physics, Optics, Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
  • 5+ years of professional optical engineering experience developing complex imaging systems.
  • Strong optical design and simulation experience with Zemax.
  • Hands-on experience designing confocal laser scanning microscopes, OCT systems, or similar imaging instruments, with a proven track record of building optical devices from prototype through validation.
  • Ability to collaborate across optical, electrical, mechanical, software, scientific, and engineering teams.
Additional Experience That Would Be Valuable
  • Programming and scripting (Python, MATLAB) for instrument control, data analysis, and algorithm prototyping.
  • Ability to design and model image-processing algorithms for optical and imaging data.
  • Experience with AR/VR optics, head-mounted display systems, or near-eye optics.
  • Experience with MEMS scanners, adaptive optics, wavefront sensing, or beam-steering technologies.
  • Experience taking optical assemblies from prototype through DFM/DFT to mass production.
  • Familiarity with regulated medical-device development (IEC 60601, ISO 13485, FDA) and laser safety standards (IEC 60825), or willingness to learn.
Why Join Kodiak
This role is for engineers who want their optical designs to drive real-world wearable systems — imaging, sensing, and embedded computing — and shape the hardware itself.
You will work at the intersection of software, hardware, medical imaging, optics, AR/VR, LiDAR, OCT, and AI. The platform is novel, the technical challenges are deep, and the work has the potential to shape a new class of wearable vision technologies.
Kodiak Sciences

About Kodiak Sciences

Kodiak is a biopharmaceutical company committed to researching, developing and commercializing transformative therapeutics to treat high prevalence retinal diseases. We are focused on bringing new science to the design and manufacture of next generation retinal medicines to prevent and treat the leading causes of blindness globally. Our ABC Platform™ uses molecular engineering to merge the fields of antibody-based and chemistry-based therapies and is at the core of Kodiak's discovery engine. Kodiak's lead investigational medicine, tarcocimab, is a novel anti-VEGF antibody biopolymer conjugate under development for the treatment of high prevalence retinal vascular diseases. KSI-501 is our second investigational medicine, a first-in-class anti-IL-6, VEGF-trap bispecific antibody biopolymer conjugate designed to inhibit both IL-6 mediated inflammation and VEGF-mediated angiogenesis and vascular permeability. KSI-501 is being developed for the treatment of high prevalence retinal vascular diseases to address the unmet needs of extended durability and targeting disease biology beyond VEGF for differentiated efficacy. KSI-101, our third product candidate, is a novel anti-IL-6, VEGF-trap bispecific protein for the treatment of retinal inflammatory diseases. We are advancing our platform technology to embed small molecules and other active pharmaceutical ingredients for multifactorial diseases.

WORKING AT KODIAK

We foster a culture of curiosity, creativity, compassion and courage. Our collective goal is to make a difference in the world. We do that as a team driven by the shared desire to tackle some of the world’s biggest challenges. If this sounds exciting, we want to hear from you!

Kodiak supports a vibrant and active lifestyle, striving to provide an optimal work-life balance. We are located in Palo Alto, in the heart of the world-class biotech hub of Silicon Valley, and within walking distance to California Avenue’s shops, restaurants and public transportation.

Industry
Biotech & Life Sciences
Company Size
51-200 employees
Headquarters
Palo Alto, California
Year Founded
2009
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