Lead Optical Engineer

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L3Harris is the Trusted Disruptor in defense tech. With customers’ mission-critical needs always in mind, our employees deliver end-to-end technology solutions connecting the space, air, land, sea and cyber domains in the interest of national security.

Job Title: Lead, Optical Engineering - Stray light
Job Code: 39678
Job Location: Rochester, NY
Job Schedule: 9/80 (Every Other Friday Off!)

Job Description:
We are seeking a highly motivated Lead Optical Engineer to support the design, analysis, and development of advanced optical and electro-optical systems for aerospace and defense applications. This role is centered on stray light analysis and control methods, with primary responsibilities in optical system modeling, performance analysis, and non-sequential evaluation to ensure mission-critical system performance in challenging operational environments. The position will support active and passive imaging payloads where stray light suppression, radiometric accuracy, and optical performance directly influence mission success.
The ideal candidate has a strong background in optical system engineering and experience with complex imaging or sensing systems across design, test, and verification. They will work closely with cross-functional teams including optical, mechanical, electrical, systems, software, and manufacturing engineering to support programs from concept through integration and test. This engineer will help mature payload architectures, evaluate optical trades, and quantify how stray light, throughput, background sources, and image chain behavior affect end-to-end system performance in operational space environments.
This role is best suited for someone who combines strong technical knowledge and hardware experience, is comfortable leading complex technical work, and can communicate effectively with internal teams, leadership, suppliers, and customers. Candidates should have experience identifying stray light sources, developing mitigation strategies, and assessing their impact on overall optical system performance. Familiarity with stray light analysis tools such as FRED is highly desirable. 

Essential Functions:
• Lead or support optical engineering activities for advanced imaging, sensing, and electro-optical systems.
• Lead development of non-sequential stray light and radiometric models for active and passive imaging systems, including assessment of scattering, ghosting, and optical throughput for space-based payloads.
• Support system performance analysis and verification of key optical requirements such as wavefront error, line of sight, distortion, focus, focal length, image quality, and related optical performance metrics.
• Perform end-to-end optical performance analyses that connect design features to mission-level image quality, signal-to-noise, and sensitivity outcomes, and communicate resulting risks, margins, and mitigation recommendations to program teams.
• Contribute to assessment of optical system behavior including ghosting, scattering, and stray light performance, as needed for system design and verification efforts.
• Support design trades for baffles, stops, surface treatments, contamination control, and alignment strategies to reduce stray light and preserve radiometric and optical performance through integration, test, and environmental exposure.
• Generate and review technical documentation including test plans, procedures, error budgets, requirements verification artifacts, design review materials, and final reports.
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineering teams to ensure optical designs are manufacturable, testable, and fully integrated into the broader system architecture.
• Provide technical leadership in troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and resolution of optical performance issues during development and test.
• Support hardware builds, laboratory demonstrations, integration efforts, and verification campaigns.
• Interface with internal stakeholders, external partners, and suppliers to coordinate technical execution and ensure requirements are clearly understood and met.
• Contribute to risk identification, mitigation planning, and continuous improvement of engineering processes and test methods.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide guidance in optical analysis, test execution, and engineering best practices.

Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s Degree and minimum 9 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 7 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 13 years of prior related experience.
• 2-3 years of relevant experience in optical stray light analysis tools such as FRED
• Ability to obtain a federal security clearance

Preferred Additional Skills:
• Holds an active Secret or Top Secret/SCI clearance.
• Relevant experience with the design, manufacture, integration, test and sell-off of space-based EO/IR subsystems.
• Hands-on experience with optical metrology equipment (interferometers, autocollimators, laser trackers) and phase retrieval techniques.
• Familiarity with specialized metrology software, including Zygo Mx and QED.NET.
• Experience with the design, manufacture, integration, test, and sell-off of space-based EO/IR subsystems.
• Experience with Optical Design software such as CodeV, Zemax OpticStudio
• Ability to collaborate across all levels of leadership.
• Work collaboratively with others and complete assignments with a team-oriented approach.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills – taking complex concepts and sharing with others.
• Ability to architect an end-to-end space system with a full understanding of the product lifecycle.
• Experience with project management aspects of technology development programs.
• Experience with estimating and managing costs & creating and managing schedule
• Candidate with an active Top Secret/SCI clearance is highly desirable.
• Optical Engineering experience with EO/IR space-based payloads, vehicle systems, and/or high performance imaging systems.
• Experience with programming languages such as Matlab and Python
• Working knowledge of optical scatter mechanisms, BSDF/BRDF concepts, ghost path analysis, and the interaction between optical design choices and system-level performance.

In compliance with pay transparency requirements, the salary range for this role in New York state is $117,000 - $218,000. This is not a guarantee of compensation or salary, as final offer amount may vary based on factors including but not limited to experience and geographic location. L3Harris also offers a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, EAP, education assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays. The specific programs and options available to an employee may vary depending on date of hire, schedule type, and the applicability of collective bargaining agreements.

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L3Harris Technologies is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. L3Harris is committed to treating all employees and applicants for employment with respect and dignity and maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination. All applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, ethnicity, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding or other related medical conditions), gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, marital status, veteran status, disability, genetic information, citizenship status, characteristic or membership in any other group protected by federal, state or local laws. L3Harris maintains a drug-free workplace and performs pre-employment substance abuse testing and background checks, where permitted by law.

Please be aware many of our positions require the ability to obtain a security clearance. Security clearances may only be granted to U.S. citizens. In addition, applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment may be subject to government security investigation(s) and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

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