Principal Optical Engineer

SpaceX

Confirmed live today High trust

Quick summary

Work type: On-site
Location: Hawthorne, CA
Salary: $190,000–$285,000 / yr
Posted: 63 days ago
Freshness: Confirmed live today
Nearby: 99+ roles within 25 mi

Market check

Salary context

Above market

How this pay compares to similar roles

Similar $181k

This role $238k

$126k $302k

below market most similar roles pay here above market

This role pays more than 80% of similar roles. Most pay $145,000–$217,525 — the blue band above. At the midpoint, this role pays about $238k versus about $181k for comparable roles.

Based on 240 similar postings.

Employer

About SpaceX

SpaceX designs, manufactures, and launches advanced rockets and spacecraft with the mission of enabling humans to become a multi-planetary species. It operates the Falcon 9, Falcon Heavy, and Starship launch vehicles, as well as the Starlink satellite internet constellation.

SpaceX currently has 851 open roles on FindRole.

Listed pay typically runs $130,000–$165,000 across 590 roles with salary data.

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At a glance

TL;DR · Principal Optical Engineer

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JOB TITLE: Principal Optical Engineer (Starfall) As a Principal Optical Engineer, you will join the team to own the design, validation, and operation of a free-space optical navigation sensor combining visible cameras and infrared sensing. You will drive the product vision and system-level architecture, leading the design of optics, detectors, circuit boards, and mechanical enclosures capable of surviving extreme space environments. Your daily work involves performing trade studies, mentoring engineers, and overseeing verification testing including environmental qualification and performance characterization. You will utilize skills in optics, photonics, and imaging while employing tools like Zemax, C++, MATLAB, and Python within a Linux environment. The role solves complex navigation problems by developing high-performance sensors for mission-critical applications, requiring expertise in mixed-signal circuits, opto-mechanical design, and atmospheric optical effects for high-volume production.

Skills

Optics Photonics Infrared (IR) Sensing Zemax Python C++ MATLAB Linux FPGA Mixed-Signal Circuits SERDES DDR4 I2C SPI Signal Integrity Precision Metrology Optical Analysis Hardware Design

What you'll do

Drive product vision and system-level architecture for visible-camera and IR navigation sensors.
Design next-generation optical and IR sensor hardware for high-volume manufacturing.
Lead optical architecture definition through internal trade studies and risk-reduction testing.
Perform and oversee verification testing, including environmental qualification and performance characterization.
Review test data and lead anomaly investigation and resolution for optical systems.
Mentor engineers and review designs to raise the technical standard of the team.
Interface with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure designs meet project goals.
Own performance budgets, design specifications, and system capabilities data.

What we're looking for

Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or another engineering discipline.
8+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience in optics, photonics, imaging, infrared sensing, or electrical/mechanical design or testing.
8+ years of experience in a computer programming language such as C++, MATLAB, and/or Python.
Master’s degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline (preferred).
Experience driving product vision and system-level trades for complex electro-optical products (preferred).
Proficiency with optical analysis tools such as Zemax (preferred).
Experience designing mixed-signal circuits, processors, FPGAs, and power supply components (preferred).
Must be a U.S. citizen, national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, asylee, or eligible for required Department of State authorizations.