CAE Optical Engineer I - Exterior Lighting

CAE Optical Engineer I - Exterior Lighting

General Description

The CAE Optical Engineer I — Exterior Lighting is an entry-level contributor who supports the computer-aided engineering (CAE) and visualization activities of the Exterior Lighting Optical Engineering team. This individual works under close supervision of senior CAE optical engineers to develop foundational skills across optical simulation, photorealistic rendering, parametric geometry modeling, and visual communication. The role provides structured exposure to SPEOS simulations, KeyShot appearance renderings, Rhino and Grasshopper parametric modeling, and Adobe Creative Suite graphic design - building the multidisciplinary skill set that defines this unique engineering position.

The CAE Optical Engineer I contributes to early-stage feasibility work, supports design review visual packages, and learns to connect optical simulation outputs to real engineering decisions. This position is well-suited for an emerging engineer or designer with a passion for both technical optical engineering and high-quality visual communication in the automotive lighting industry.

Responsibilities

Primary Roles & Responsibilities:

• Support the setup and execution of physics-based optical simulations in SPEOS under senior engineer guidance; learn to configure LED/light source, material and surface optical properties, and photometric sensor types.

• Assist in validating simulation outputs against regulatory photometric test grids (FMVSS 108, ECE R112, R7, R87, R148, SAE J-specs) under supervision.

• Learn to evaluate basic photometric simulation results: luminous intensity distribution, luminous flux, color chromaticity, and apparent luminous area for front and rear exterior lighting functions.

• Support simulation-to-test correlation exercises; compare simulation predictions with physical prototype measurements under senior engineer guidance.

• Assist in DOE (Design of Experiment) simulation setups to explore the effect of optical geometry variables on photometric outputs.

• Document simulation setups, input parameters, and results per department standards; maintain organized simulation file libraries.

• Create simple geometry, in support of simulation and rendering tasks.

• Develop foundational Grasshopper skills; learn to use and modify existing parametric definitions and feature arrays under senior engineer guidance.

• Support the integration of Rhino/Grasshopper-generated geometry into SPEOS simulation models; learn geometry export and import workflows.

• Work within CATIA V5 and/or Siemens NX to assist with optical surface geometry placement and modifications within lamp assembly models.

• Use Blender for basic 3D scene assembly and supplementary geometry creation in support of rendering and presentation tasks.

• Generate unlit appearance renderings in KeyShot under senior engineer direction; learn HDR environment setup, basic material assignment (clear PC, chrome, paints etc.), and camera positioning.

• Produce multi-angle rendering sets for internal design review and customer presentation packages as assigned.

• Support unlit appearance visualization in SPEOS; learn physics-based unlit rendering methodology.

• Support lit appearance simulation in SPEOS under senior engineer guidance; learn to set up backward ray-tracing scenarios, define LED sources and sensors.

• Assist in evaluating lit appearance simulation results for uniformity, hot spots, dark zones, and color consistency.

• Learn to connect lit appearance simulation outputs to optical design decisions; understand how geometry changes affect luminous appearance.

• Create and post-process rendering outputs using Adobe Photoshop; apply basic tone mapping, background compositing and annotation overlays for customer-ready visual deliverables.

• Develop layout, and presentation graphics in Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW under team guidance.

• Support the assembly of engineering design review packages, milestone presentation decks, and customer-facing rendering deliverables.

• Maintain and update the department's rendering template library, material preset files, and HDR environment assets.

• Use GIMP for supplementary image editing and simulation output processing as needed.

• Collaborate with Optical Engineers, Design Engineers, and Program Engineers to support CAE and visualization deliverables at program milestones.

• Maintain organized simulation model libraries, rendering asset folders, and parametric geometry files per department data management practices.

• Participate in continuous learning activities: stay current with SPEOS, KeyShot, Grasshopper, and Adobe tool updates; seek to extend personal tool proficiency.

• Document all CAE simulation work and rendering outputs per department standards.

• Domestic and international travel required as needed.

• Other tasks and projects as assigned.

Job Requirements

Work Experience & Education

• Entry-level position — 0 to 3 years of experience in optical simulation, CAE visualization, industrial design rendering, or a closely related field.

• S. in Physics, Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Design, or related field; equivalent demonstrated experience considered.

• Academic or coursework exposure to optical simulation tools (SPEOS, LucidShape, or similar) is a strong plus.

• Basic KeyShot rendering experience is a plus; portfolio of 3D rendering work is valued.

• Foundational Rhino 3D experience; Grasshopper exposure is a plus.

• Experience with Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator; graphic design or visual communication portfolio is valued.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Foundational knowledge of lighting principles: luminous intensity, luminous flux, illuminance, luminance, chromaticity, and their role in optical simulation.

• Basic understanding of geometric optics: reflection, refraction, TIR principles, and their application to automotive lighting components.

• Foundational SPEOS proficiency or strong desire to develop it; able to learn source/material setup and basic photometric simulation workflows.

• Basic KeyShot proficiency: environment setup, material assignment, and camera framing for automotive component rendering.

• Basic Rhino 3D modeling skills; willingness and ability to learn Grasshopper parametric scripting.

• Basic CATIA V5 and/or Siemens NX navigation and geometry handling.

• Adobe Photoshop proficiency for image editing, compositing, and visual post-processing.

• Adobe Illustrator and/or CorelDRAW proficiency for vector diagram and presentation graphic creation.

• Awareness of exterior lighting regulatory requirements (FMVSS 108, ECE) and desire to build applied regulatory knowledge.

• Strong visual communication aptitude; able to translate technical data into clear, compelling graphics and presentations.

• Excellent organizational skills; maintain structured simulation and rendering file libraries.

• Excellent verbal and written English communication skills; receptive to coaching and feedback from senior engineers.

• Collaborative, team-oriented work style; eager to learn across all five CAE Optical Engineer competency pillars.

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