Principal Investigator - Firmware Engineer (Eye Tracking)
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Location: Milano, IT
EssilorLuxottica and Politecnico di Milano have created the first ever joint research center aimed at designing the smart glasses of the future (EssilorLuxottica Smart Eyewear Lab), capable not only of correcting vision defects and providing an object of style and protection for eye health, but also of offering new AR (augmented reality) experiences.
We are a global leader in the design, manufacture, and distribution of ophthalmic lenses, frames, and sunglasses. We offer our industry stakeholders in over 150 countries access to a global platform of high‑quality vision care products (such as the Essilor brand, with Varilux, Crizal, Eyezen, Stellest and Transitions), iconic brands that consumers love (such as Ray‑Ban, Oakley, Persol, Oliver Peoples, Vogue Eyewear and Costa), as well as a network that offers consumers high‑quality vision care and best‑in‑class shopping experiences (such as Sunglass Hut, LensCrafters, Salmoiraghi & Viganò and the GrandVision network), and leading e‑commerce platforms.
Join our global community of over 190,000 dedicated employees around the world in driving the transformation of the eyewear and eyecare industry.
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Your Role
EssilorLuxottica and Politecnico di Milano have created the first ever joint research center aimed at designing the smart glasses of the future (EssilorLuxottica Smart Eyewear Lab), capable not only of correcting vision defects and providing an object of style and protection for eye health, but also of offering new AR (augmented reality) experiences. A first example of smart glasses made by Luxottica are the Ray‑Ban Meta and Nuance Audio. The overall project aims to develop smart glasses with the integration of new hardware (electronics, sensors, processors, interconnectivity) and new algorithm and software (advanced signal processing, data processing, artificial intelligence, machine learning) to add new functionalities on glasses.
The EssilorLuxottica Smart Eyewear Lab in Milan will work as part of the Group’s R&D platform, already operating globally, with more than 30 R&D centers dedicated to vision care, eyewear design, sustainability and digital transformation, around 1,000 researchers and more than 11,000 patents. The EssilorLuxottica Smart Eyewear Lab will initially last five years and will employ when fully operational over 100 researchers and scientists working closely together in a dedicated space within the Innovation District, which the Politecnico di Milano is currently developing in the Parco dei Gasometri, located in the Bovisa area in Milan.
Main Responsibilities
We are looking for a highly motivated Principal Investigator to lead firmware development for future smart glasses. You will work closely with the research community—especially with Politecnico di Milano—in an international context, tackling new challenges to develop innovative eye‑tracking solutions and algorithms using advanced techniques applied to real data.
Your activities will focus on:

Firmware development for embedded systems
Device drivers and communication protocols
Memory and low‑power sensors management
Integration of conventional and non‑conventional cameras (e.g., event‑based cameras)
Proof‑of‑concept (POC) realization for new features
Contribute to the development of the research center as a specialist in embedded systems and firmware, collaborating with students, researchers, and EssilorLuxottica engineers.
Design and implement advanced firmware architectures for smart glasses, integrating low‑power sensors, cameras (including event‑based), and communication protocols.
Optimize embedded algorithms for eye tracking, signal processing, and machine learning, ensuring efficient deployment on microcontrollers and low‑power processors (ARM Cortex‑M, RISC‑V, FPGAs).
Create and maintain device drivers and hardware abstraction layers, enabling seamless interaction between sensors, cameras, and other system components.
Manage memory and power consumption to achieve high performance in battery‑powered wearable devices.
Integrate and validate functionalities in proof‑of‑concept embedded systems, ensuring robustness and scalability.
Collaborate in multidisciplinary team meetings, contributing technical insights and aligning firmware development with research objectives.
Engage with academic partners and industry stakeholders, supporting joint projects.

Main Requirements

Deep knowledge of embedded systems and firmware architecture design
Strong experience in RTOS and bare‑metal programming
Expertise in machine learning techniques and signal processing algorithms
Experience on both ARM and RISCV MCU architectures
Education: Master’s degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, Embedded Systems, or equivalent. A PhD in a relevant field is preferred.
Embedded Systems Expertise: Excellent knowledge of embedded systems, sensors, and firmware structures.
Firmware Development: Strong experience in developing and testing firmware for embedded systems, both with and without Real‑Time Operating Systems (RTOS).
Programming Languages: Proficiency in C for low‑level development and Python for scripting, testing, and algorithm prototyping.
Algorithms: Ability to design and implement signal processing and machine learning algorithms optimized for resource‑constrained devices.
Hardware Interaction: Experience in device drivers, communication protocols (UART, SPI, I2C, CAN, USB), and hardware‑software integration.
Electronics Knowledge: Familiarity with PCB design, component selection, and hardware debugging; experience with electronic lab equipment for performance evaluation.
Low‑Power Design: Skills in optimizing power consumption for battery‑operated devices and multi‑processor architectures (Microcontrollers, FPGAs).
Eye‑Tracking: Experience with eye‑tracking algorithms and sensor fusion is a plus.
Machine Learning Deployment: Knowledge of ML frameworks and training tools for embedded platforms.
Preferred Skills: Implementation of multi‑core or heterogeneous architectures combining microcontrollers and FPGAs.
Soft Skills: Excellent communication, adaptability to research‑driven environments, self‑motivation, and ability to work independently while contributing to a multidisciplinary team.

In summary, we are seeking a talented firmware engineer to join our interdisciplinary team at the EssilorLuxottica Smart Eyewear Lab, contributing to the development of next‑generation smart eyewear.
The ideal candidate is a firmware engineer with strong embedded development expertise, complemented by solid foundations in electronics and algorithm design. We are looking for someone passionate about smart wearable devices, capable of driving innovative solutions independently while collaborating effectively within a multidisciplinary team. We value professionals who combine technical depth with research‑oriented thinking, capable of contributing to the development of complex and highly innovative solutions for next‑generation smart eyewear.
In particular, the candidate will be included in the eye tracking research stream of the Smart Eyewear Lab.
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We are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We celebrate diversity and provide equal opportunities to all, regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, religion, disability, sexual orientation, or any other characteristic that makes us unique.
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