Senior Optical Engineer - Space Communications Systems

We are seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to join our team developing advanced free space optical communication systems for spacecraft and ground terminals. This role offers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge laser communication networks and contribute to the future of space communications technology.

As a Senior Optical Engineer, you will own the design, modeling, and validation of optical communication systems used for inter-satellite links and ground-to-space laser communication. You will define system architectures, conduct detailed simulations, specify optical metrology systems, and support the integration and troubleshooting of optical subsystems throughout development, qualification, and production phases.

Key responsibilities include designing and optimizing optical communication systems for space and ground-based platforms, defining architectures for free space transmission and high-speed laser communication subsystems, and specifying optical components such as lenses, beam shaping optics, collimators, detectors, and light sources. You will conduct detailed optical modeling using industry-standard software, perform radiometric analysis, wavefront analysis, tolerance studies, and far field propagation modeling.

The ideal candidate will have strong optical engineering fundamentals, stable career history, and the ability to transform ambiguous optical problems into clear system architectures and validated models. We prefer candidates with six or more years of experience, though strong engineers with three to five years of experience and significant optical research or PhD backgrounds may also be considered.

This is a senior individual contributor role offering significant autonomy and the opportunity to work across disciplines, supporting integration and manufacturing while delivering designs that are robust, scalable, and ready for mass production. You will collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, software, and systems engineering teams to ensure alignment between design intent, performance requirements, and manufacturability.