| Location | Billerica, MA |
| Salary | $146,151–$186,748 Per Year |
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Principal Optical Engineer
Req Id: 435
Location:
Billerica, MA, US, 01821
Date: Oct 2, 2026
Thales Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI) Headquartered in Clarksburg, MD, is a U.S. company that has been serving domestic and international defense Air, Land and Sea domains for 60+ years. With over 1,000 employees, TDSI and its four subsidiaries (Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Digital Receiver Technology, Tampa Microwave, and Trusted Cyber Technologies), supports U.S. Joint Services, special operations forces and multi-national partners with a variety of communication, visualization, signal intelligence/electronic warfare, and sensor/sonar capabilities. TDSI's key technologies include tactical handheld radios, expeditionary satellite terminals, helmet-mounted displays, optics and target recognition capability, advanced radars, undersea sensing and missile systems. Lives depend on what we do!
Top Benefits (Subject to terms of applicable policies/plans)
We have an exciting opportunity for a Prinicpal Optical Engineer in our Billerica, MA office.
Responsibilities
Design, analyze and build optical systems and display devices, specifically Head-Mounted Displays (HMD)
Design and develop optical components (waveguide, projector, intervening optics)
Investigate and evaluate available COTS solutions
Investigate the adaption of available COTS
Capture and define optical characteristics and parameters
Develop product/development requirements and define the art of the possible
Propose research, technology advancement, and feasibility studies with a keen interest in how to productize the resulting technologies
Design and develop optical components of HMD (waveguide, projector, intervening optics)
Investigate and evaluate available COTS solutions
Investigate adaption of available COTS
Analyze performance of optical components: provide and defend first order (oversimplified) calculations with stated assumptions to recommend whether a technical approach is worth further investigation (for instance in the lab)
Test and characterize the performance of optical components (especially waveguides) in the lab
Evaluate vendor/partner samples
Evaluate prototype designs
Perform competitive comparisons
Debug and resolve any problems with current displays
Serve as lead engineer and SME by understanding the Head-Mounted Display (HMD) marketspace, its requirements, use cases, and customer needs. This includes:
Augmented Reality (AR) Displays
Visual Augmentation Systems (VAS) and Advanced Visual Augmentation Systems (AVAS)
Optical Head-Mounted Displays (OHMD)
Optical See-Through (OST) systems
Computer-generated Imagery (CGI), live imagery, or a combination
Serve as lead engineer and SME by understanding the various technologies, technology trends, emerging technologies, physics and math of optics, and displays fabrication and manufacturing processes.
Serve as lead engineer and SME by understanding and applying the core components and technologies. This includes:
Image generation - graphics and fused sensor data for real-time interaction and situational awareness
Display projection - microdisplays (Micro-LED, OLED, LCoS, or Micro-LED panels)
Optics - lenses, prisms, and waveguides
Motion synchronization - IMUs and cameras to track head movement (low latency)
Develop and maintain a network of contacts at vendors, customers, and industry working groups
Attend and participate as subject matter expert in relevant conferences and symposia
Provide technical support and expertise on proposals, bid efforts and customer interactions
Interact with customers, partners and vendors at a very technical level
Generate Make vs Buy recommendations based on solid analysis and market studies
Manage and influence vendors to successful conclusions, including providing milestones for evaluating next direction, and cutting bait if such evaluation finds no promising direction
Operate without close supervision, which probably means turning an open-ended problem into a course of action and then following it to an actionable conclusion
This means both avoiding rabbit holes and politely avoiding accepting too many assignments or assignments with insufficient time, money, or probability of success
Perform as an integral member of the HMD team interacting on a regular basis with inter/intra-company disciplines including engineering, contracts, programs management, business development, and manufacturing
Some domestic and international travel to vendors, customers, and conferences
By example, set the standards that embody the TDSI Core Value and Thales Leadership Model
Qualifications
The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
U.S. Citizenship required. - Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
Minimum of Bachelor's in engineering or equivalent technology field, master's or PhD preferred
8+ years' experience in hands on engineering role; with at least 6 dedicated to Optics and Optical Engineering
Proficiency with a variety of optical test and metrology equipment an instruments
Must be hands-on in laboratory
Experience with motion tracking integration into augmented reality devices (expertise preferred)
Excellent organizational skills and work ethic
Knowledge of software development lifecycle
Effective oral and written communication skills and the ability to manage multiple projects
The annualized pay range for this role is $146,151-$186,748 USD along with a target incentive compensation plan (ICP) of 5%. The pay range provided is a good faith estimate representative of the experience level for the role described above. TDSI considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.
For specific questions about this job posting, candidates may contact talent acquisition at careers@thalesdsi.com.
Thales Defense & Security, Inc. is committed to non-discrimination as applicable under federal, state and local laws. We are an E-Verify Employer.
If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales Defense & Security, Inc., please call Human Resources at 240-864-7000.
#LI-Hybrid
Nearest Major Market: Boston
Apply now "
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