Optical Engineer

Qualifications:

• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or Physics (Master’s or PhD preferred).
• 8 to 10 years of relevant experience in space-based optical systems, aerospace instrumentation, or closely related optical camera system development.
• Extensive experience using ZEMAX optical design software.
• Optical design and verification for flight camera optics, including athermalization, stray light minimization, and Structural-Thermal-Optical-Performance (STOP) analysis.
• Demonstrated experience with Conceptual and detailed flight optical designs, including athermalization strategies, stray light control, and STOP analysis to support performance and environment requirements.
• Optical calibration and metrology expertise, including focus/MTF, radiometry and spectral response, distortion/camera models, and boresight alignment.
• Experience with optics assembly techniques for space-based optical systems.
• Experience with radiation-hardened optical design, collimation measurement techniques, and laser interferometric wavefront error measurement.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills for technical discussions with peers, management, and customer representatives.

Responsibilities:

• Define and flow down mission-level optical requirements into camera optical system specifications and verification approaches.
• Produce conceptual and detailed flight optical designs, including athermalization strategies, stray light control, and STOP analysis to support performance and environment requirements.
• Develop and execute calibration and metrology plans to verify optical performance, including focus/MTF, radiometric and spectral response, distortion/camera models, and boresight alignment.
• Create performance specifications and statements of work for optical subcontracts; manage subcontractors for optical processing, fabrication, coatings, assembly, and delivery through lifecycle needs such as glass availability.
• Support program execution through design reviews, cross-functional collaboration with project management and systems engineering, and required ESD training for unescorted access to controlled areas.