Method and apparatus are provided for automated determination and adjustment of height and tilt of a substrate surface within a lithography system. The method includes: directing a beam of light onto the substrate surface, which reflects off the substrate surface as a reflected beam; optically splitting the reflected beam into a first reflected beam portion and a second reflected beam portion; impinging the first reflected beam portion onto a first detector plane of a first optical detector to generate intensity data, and impinging the second reflected beam portion onto a second detector plane of a second optical detector to generate intensity data, and utilizing the generated data in determining height and tilt of the substrate surface relative to a nominal writing plane of the lithography system. Responsive to the determination, focus or tilt of the system's writing beam, or position of the substrate surface within the system, is adjusted.