Mechanical Engineer – Micro-Mechanisms & Precision Systems
An innovative optical technology company based in Oxfordshire is seeking a Mechanical Engineer specialising in the design and development of micro-mechanisms and precision mechanical systems to join its growing R&D team.
This role is ideal for a creative, hands-on mechanical engineer who enjoys ideation, early-stage concept development, and detailed mechanism design, and who is motivated by solving complex engineering challenges at very small scales.
You will play a key role in the development of a next-generation adaptive optical platform, working from first principles and early concepts through prototyping, testing, and transition into scalable manufacture.
About the Company
The company operates at the intersection of ophthalmics, optics, and advanced mechanical engineering, developing novel adaptive lens technologies for applications across AR/VR/XR, machine vision, and next-generation optical systems.
Its proprietary adaptive lens technology has generated significant interest from leading global consumer electronics and technology companies. As a result, the business is entering an exciting new phase of growth, expanding its R&D capability and investing in both facilities and talent.
The culture is collaborative, technically ambitious, and strongly focused on engineering excellence — an environment where innovative ideas are encouraged, explored, and realised.
The Role
As a Mechanical Engineer with a focus on micro-mechanisms and precision systems, you will contribute across the full product development lifecycle. The role places strong emphasis on concept generation, mechanism architecture, and detailed mechanical design, alongside hands-on prototyping and testing.
You will work on mechanisms at watch-scale and below, helping to define how the system works mechanically as well as how it is manufactured, assembled, and scaled.
This is a high-ownership role offering genuine influence over technical direction and design decisions.
Key Responsibilities
You will:
Generate and develop early-stage concepts for micro-mechanisms and precision systems, exploring multiple design approaches and architectures
Design micro-mechanisms and precision mechanical assemblies (e.g. bearings, gears, threads, linkages) for optical and opto-mechanical applications
Translate high-level functional requirements into robust, detailed mechanism designs
Build, assemble, and test prototypes to validate performance and rapidly iterate designs
Integrate mechanical systems into complex optical platforms
Select appropriate materials, balancing performance, reliability, and manufacturability
Apply DFM/DFA principles and advise on best-practice manufacturing techniques
Work closely with suppliers and manufacturing partners to realise designs
Contribute to technical documentation, risk management, and design reviews in a regulated development environment
Requirements
Education
Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Design Engineering, or equivalent practical experience
Essential Experience & Skills
Proven experience taking mechanical products from concept through to production
Strong capability in ideation, concept development, and mechanism synthesis
Experience designing precision mechanical systems and/or micro-mechanisms
A hands-on approach to prototyping, testing, and iterative development
Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, including:
Injection moulding and micro-moulding
Metal stamping and forming
Metal injection moulding
Vacuum forming
Knowledge of joining processes such as:
Adhesive bonding
Ultrasonic welding
Radio-frequency welding
Heat staking
Strong materials knowledge, particularly polymers and metals
Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks preferred)
Experience working within ISO 13485 or similar regulated design environments
Desirable
Competence in GD&T and experience performing tolerance analysis
Exposure to optics or opto-mechanical design, including alignment or mounting considerations
Experience with FEA and/or analytical hand calculations
Ability to translate product requirements into clear engineering specifications
Experience supporting pilot production and optimising designs for scale-up
Why Join?
Work on genuinely novel technology with global impact
Strong emphasis on creative engineering and early-stage design thinking
High ownership role with involvement from concept to production
Collaborative, technically driven culture
Opportunity to grow with a fast-scaling technology company