ŌURA
Overview
Join to apply for the
Optical Sensing Engineer
role at
ŌURA .
Our mission at Oura is to empower every person to own their inner potential. Our award-winning products help our global community gain a deeper knowledge of their readiness, activity, and sleep quality by using their Oura Ring and its connected app. We have helped over a million people understand and improve their health by providing daily insights and practical steps to inspire healthy lifestyles.
Empowering the world starts with living and empowering our team. As a quickly growing company focused on helping people live healthier and happier lives, we ensure that our team members have what they need to do their best work — both in and out of the office.
We are looking for an Optical Sensing Engineer to join our hardware team working on future wearables and accessory devices reporting directly to the Director, Hardware Sensing Technologies. This opportunity will be hybrid out of our San Diego or San Francisco office.
What You’ll Do
Design and development of optical systems for physiological sensing in wearable health and wellness products
Perform detailed optical simulations to guide emitter-detector design, placement, and light-path optimization within compact, body-worn devices
Develop optical architectures that balance signal quality, power efficiency, and mechanical integration
Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and firmware teams to ensure robust signal acquisition across diverse usage and environmental conditions
Design and execute test protocols to evaluate system performance across various skin types, motion conditions, and lighting environments
Partner with data science and signal processing teams to support feature development and improve signal robustness
Interface with component vendors to assess and qualify optical emitters, detectors, filters, and mechanical elements for integration
Travel occasionally to Finland and to international manufacturing sites as needed (15%–20%).
Requirements We would love to have you on our team, if you have :
Technical Expertise
Deep understanding of optical sensing principles and light-tissue interaction for wearable physiological monitoring
Strong experience with optical modeling and simulation tools (e.g., Speos, Zemax, LightTools, TracePro, COMSOL, or custom Monte Carlo simulations)
Familiarity with emitter-detector design tradeoffs including wavelength selection, viewing angles, ambient light rejection, and drive current tuning
Experience designing systems for robustness against motion artifacts, signal loss, and skin-tone variability
Skilled in data analysis tools (Python, MATLAB, etc.) for signal evaluation and validation
Hands-on experience with optical prototyping and test equipment: photodiodes, LEDs, filters, integrating spheres, power meters, etc.
Problem Solving and Analytical Thinking
Ability to work through ambiguity and iterate on novel optical designs using a data-driven approach
Experience debugging complex signal interactions between optics, physiology, motion, and system-level constraints
Strong experimental design and root cause analysis skills
Communication and Collaboration
Effective communicator across disciplines including electrical, mechanical, firmware, and product teams
Comfortable contributing to documentation, planning, and milestone tracking
Able to present technical tradeoffs clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
Educational Background
Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Optical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with 7+ years of industry experience
Master’s degree with 5+ years, or PhD with 2+ years of experience
Prototyping and Testing
Hands-on experience designing, building, and characterizing optical sensing systems in lab environments
Skilled in measurement techniques for SNR, spectral response, ambient interference, and motion tolerance
Bonus Points
Experience developing optical sensing systems for wearable or health-oriented consumer products
Familiarity with light-based physiological sensing techniques such as reflectance- or transmission-mode measurements
Knowledge of low-power optical system design and integration into thermally constrained environments
Experience supporting optical features through the full product lifecycle, from simulation and prototyping to manufacturing and field validation
Exposure to relevant regulatory or safety standards for optical or consumer health devices
Benefits At Oura, we care about you and your well-being. Everyone here at Oura has a ring of their own and we are continually looking to improve employee health.
What we offer :
Competitive salary and equity packages
Health, dental, vision insurance, and mental health resources
An Oura Ring of your own plus employee discounts for friends & family
20 days of paid time off plus 13 paid holidays plus 8 days of flexible wellness time off
Paid sick leave and parental leave
Oura takes a market-based approach to pay, which may vary depending on location. US locations are categorized into tiers based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. Regions and ranges are provided for guidance and may be updated. A recruiter will determine zones/tiers based on your US location.
Equal Opportunity Oura is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We consider applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will provide reasonable accommodation to participate in the interview process and to perform essential job functions where required.
Disclaimer: Beware of fake job offers. We have details on how to verify authentic postings and offers on our official channels.
Legal and Miscellaneous We do not accept agency resumes. We will not request personal information or payments for equipment upfront. Official offers are delivered through proper channels after a verbal offer.
Seniority level: Mid-Senior level | Employment type: Full-time | Job function: Research, Analyst, and Information Technology | Industries: Consumer Electronics
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Optical Sensing Engineer
role at
ŌURA .
Our mission at Oura is to empower every person to own their inner potential. Our award-winning products help our global community gain a deeper knowledge of their readiness, activity, and sleep quality by using their Oura Ring and its connected app. We have helped over a million people understand and improve their health by providing daily insights and practical steps to inspire healthy lifestyles.
Empowering the world starts with living and empowering our team. As a quickly growing company focused on helping people live healthier and happier lives, we ensure that our team members have what they need to do their best work — both in and out of the office.
We are looking for an Optical Sensing Engineer to join our hardware team working on future wearables and accessory devices reporting directly to the Director, Hardware Sensing Technologies. This opportunity will be hybrid out of our San Diego or San Francisco office.
What You’ll Do
Design and development of optical systems for physiological sensing in wearable health and wellness products
Perform detailed optical simulations to guide emitter-detector design, placement, and light-path optimization within compact, body-worn devices
Develop optical architectures that balance signal quality, power efficiency, and mechanical integration
Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, and firmware teams to ensure robust signal acquisition across diverse usage and environmental conditions
Design and execute test protocols to evaluate system performance across various skin types, motion conditions, and lighting environments
Partner with data science and signal processing teams to support feature development and improve signal robustness
Interface with component vendors to assess and qualify optical emitters, detectors, filters, and mechanical elements for integration
Travel occasionally to Finland and to international manufacturing sites as needed (15%–20%).
Requirements We would love to have you on our team, if you have :
Technical Expertise
Deep understanding of optical sensing principles and light-tissue interaction for wearable physiological monitoring
Strong experience with optical modeling and simulation tools (e.g., Speos, Zemax, LightTools, TracePro, COMSOL, or custom Monte Carlo simulations)
Familiarity with emitter-detector design tradeoffs including wavelength selection, viewing angles, ambient light rejection, and drive current tuning
Experience designing systems for robustness against motion artifacts, signal loss, and skin-tone variability
Skilled in data analysis tools (Python, MATLAB, etc.) for signal evaluation and validation
Hands-on experience with optical prototyping and test equipment: photodiodes, LEDs, filters, integrating spheres, power meters, etc.
Problem Solving and Analytical Thinking
Ability to work through ambiguity and iterate on novel optical designs using a data-driven approach
Experience debugging complex signal interactions between optics, physiology, motion, and system-level constraints
Strong experimental design and root cause analysis skills
Communication and Collaboration
Effective communicator across disciplines including electrical, mechanical, firmware, and product teams
Comfortable contributing to documentation, planning, and milestone tracking
Able to present technical tradeoffs clearly to technical and non-technical audiences
Educational Background
Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Optical Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related field with 7+ years of industry experience
Master’s degree with 5+ years, or PhD with 2+ years of experience
Prototyping and Testing
Hands-on experience designing, building, and characterizing optical sensing systems in lab environments
Skilled in measurement techniques for SNR, spectral response, ambient interference, and motion tolerance
Bonus Points
Experience developing optical sensing systems for wearable or health-oriented consumer products
Familiarity with light-based physiological sensing techniques such as reflectance- or transmission-mode measurements
Knowledge of low-power optical system design and integration into thermally constrained environments
Experience supporting optical features through the full product lifecycle, from simulation and prototyping to manufacturing and field validation
Exposure to relevant regulatory or safety standards for optical or consumer health devices
Benefits At Oura, we care about you and your well-being. Everyone here at Oura has a ring of their own and we are continually looking to improve employee health.
What we offer :
Competitive salary and equity packages
Health, dental, vision insurance, and mental health resources
An Oura Ring of your own plus employee discounts for friends & family
20 days of paid time off plus 13 paid holidays plus 8 days of flexible wellness time off
Paid sick leave and parental leave
Oura takes a market-based approach to pay, which may vary depending on location. US locations are categorized into tiers based on a cost of labor index for that geographic area. Regions and ranges are provided for guidance and may be updated. A recruiter will determine zones/tiers based on your US location.
Equal Opportunity Oura is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We consider applicants without regard to age, ancestry, color, gender, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, mental or physical disability, national origin, protected family care or medical leave status, race, religion, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by law. We will provide reasonable accommodation to participate in the interview process and to perform essential job functions where required.
Disclaimer: Beware of fake job offers. We have details on how to verify authentic postings and offers on our official channels.
Legal and Miscellaneous We do not accept agency resumes. We will not request personal information or payments for equipment upfront. Official offers are delivered through proper channels after a verbal offer.
Seniority level: Mid-Senior level | Employment type: Full-time | Job function: Research, Analyst, and Information Technology | Industries: Consumer Electronics
#J-18808-Ljbffr