Principal Optical Engineer

What you'll do

• Own free-space optical system design, validation, and operation for visible camera and infrared navigation sensors.
• Drive product vision and system-level architecture while conducting trade studies across optical, mechanical, and electrical constraints.
• Design next-generation hardware components capable of high-rate manufacturing and survival in harsh space environments.
• Perform and oversee verification testing, including environmental qualification, performance characterization, and fault-injection testing.
• Lead field testing of optical experiments and navigation sensor systems to ensure mission success.
• Analyze test data to lead investigation and resolution of technical anomalies.
• Mentor engineers and establish high technical standards for the optics, electrical, and systems teams.
• Manage performance budgets, design specifications, and system capabilities data for critical navigation applications.

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 and testing.
• 8+ years of experience in a computer programming language such as C++, MATLAB, 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 like Zemax (preferred).
• Experience designing mixed-signal circuits, processors, FPGAs, and other electronic components (preferred).
• Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or eligible for required export control authorizations.