Optical Engineer

Job Responsibilities:

• Plan and prepare for extensive optical assembly, integration, and testing activities in laboratory cleanrooms
• Develop optical system alignment approaches, derive requirements, outline process flows, and design required ground support equipment (GSE)
• Collaborate with mechanical and opto-mechanical engineers to design mounts and assemblies with appropriate degrees of freedom and adjustment resolution
• Execute assembly and alignment of free-space and fiber-optic optical systems, including sensor integration and performance characterization
• Specify custom optical components such as mirrors, lenses, and filters; evaluate vendor capabilities; inspect and test procured optics
• Utilize optical test equipment including interferometers, polarimeters, laser beam profilers, alignment telescopes, and autocollimators
• Work with fiber optic cables and components, including testing and validation methods
• Develop and document AI&T procedures, build records, troubleshooting efforts, and issue resolution activities
• Conduct environmental testing campaigns including thermal cycling, altitude chamber testing, vibration testing, and thermal vacuum (TVac) testing to validate system performance

Skills:

• Optical assembly, integration, and test (AI&T)
• Free-space and fiber-optic system alignment
• Optical alignment instrumentation and metrology
• Optical fabrication specifications and vendor evaluation
• Environmental testing and system validation
• Hardware and software integration
• Optical system troubleshooting and performance optimization

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field required
• Advanced degree preferred