Optical Engineer
Core
Design, test, and validate custom optical payloads for high-power satellites, including specialty-fiber lasers, diffraction-limited telescopes, and focal-plane instrumentation.
Role type
Optical Engineer (Space Systems)
Builds
Custom optical hardware, test systems, and manufacturing processes for satellite payloads.
Domain
Aerospace / Optics / Photonics
Deliverable
production ML models | product features | dashboards & analysis | research | client delivery | infrastructure | physical/clinical work
Required skills
Geometrical and physical optics, free-space optical systems, fiber-optic systems, optomechanical components, optical modeling, performance budgeting, tolerance analysis, optical fabrication, assembly processes, environmental qualification, root-cause analysis, technical documentation.
Preferred skills
Hands-on optical setup building and troubleshooting, optical component selection, Python/MATLAB/LabVIEW for data analysis and automation, optical design software (OpticStudio, CODE V, FRED, LightTools, Lumerical), detector/focal-plane array expertise, precision optomechanics, integrated photonics, specialty fibers, manufacturing process development, contamination control.
Technologies
OpticStudio, CODE V, FRED, LightTools, Lumerical, Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW
Responsibilities
Own technical deliverables from definition to validation; build and maintain custom free-space and fiber-optic test systems; plan and execute experiments to characterize optical components; develop optical models and correlate predictions with test results; design and validate custom optics and optomechanical components; develop repeatable fabrication and assembly processes; support environmental qualification, integration, and on-orbit commissioning.
Seniority
Junior to Mid-level, hands-on IC