Senior Optical Systems Engineer

Senior Optical Systems EngineerLocation: Los Angeles, California, OnsiteCompensation: Typically 190,000 to 240,000 USD for strong candidatesU.S. Citizenship RequiredRelocation support availableDarwin Space are partnered with an exciting national security space company who are building advanced small satellites for high impact government missions. They are expanding their Optical Engineering organisation with a Senior Optical Systems Engineer who will support the design, modelling and integration of electro optical and infrared payloads on next generation spacecraft.They are specifically looking for candidates who sit in the senior team, ideally with seven or more years of optical systems engineering experience.This role suits someone who enjoys design, simulation, modelling and payload to spacecraft interface definition. Experience working between a spacecraft bus and its EO or IR payload is highly desirable. Backgrounds involving space lasers, laser communications, active sensors or optical phenomenology are particularly attractive.Although this company requires U.S. citizenship, this role does not require an active clearance at the time of application.Role OverviewThe Senior Optical Systems Engineer will be responsible for defining, modelling and validating the performance of optical payloads and their interfaces with the spacecraft bus and mission data processing systems. You will own mission performance requirements for remote sensing or space‑to‑space missions, model phenomenology and detection performance and guide the integration of EO, IR or laser communication payloads into flight systems.This is an end to end optical systems role supporting mission design, simulation, payload integration, test and on orbit validation.Key ResponsibilitiesOptical Systems ArchitectureDevelop and validate requirements for EO and IR sensors, laser systems and optical communication terminalsDefine and manage interfaces between payloads, spacecraft bus and mission processing systemsSupport mission performance budgeting, detection modelling and phenomenology studiesModelling and SimulationBuild and implement modelling and simulation tools to evaluate mission performancePerform analysis of optical payload performance including radiometric modelling, imaging performance and detection thresholdsSupport the development of OCT link budgets and system level optical modelsTesting and ValidationDevelop and execute unit and system level tests on the ground and in orbitValidate sensor and optical system performance against mission expectationsSupport calibration and on orbit performance evaluationSupplier and Partner ManagementManage supplier performance and technical deliverablesSupport integration and qualification of optical hardwareProgram Support and LeadershipCoordinate work statements, manage schedule and track technical progressContribute to proposals and new business opportunitiesMentor junior engineers and support technical decision makingRequired QualificationsBachelor’s degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or a related fieldSeven or more years of industry experience in optical engineeringExperience with space to space or space to ground laser communicationExperience with performance modelling of space based EO sensorsExperience with optical phenomenology, detection models or simulationAbility to obtain a U.S. security clearance (U.S. citizenship required)Preferred QualificationsTen or more years working with satellite optical instrumentation, design or operationsExperience mentoring other engineersOn orbit experience validating OCT or optical payload performanceExperience designing, integrating and testing EO and IR payloads, star trackers, laser range finders or other satellite optical hardwareExperience processing optical data to extract mission relevant informationDarwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.Adam Slade