Optical Designer and Analyst

Senior Optical Designer / Analyst

Location: Onsite in Broomfield, Colorado
Compensation: 115,000 to 130,000 USD base salary, plus bonus, equity and full benefits
US Person Required

Darwin Space are partnered with an exciting space communications company who are developing next generation free space optical systems for spacecraft and ground terminals. They need multiple Senior Optical Designers and Analysts to support the rapid growth of their optical engineering organisation. These positions are ideal for engineers with strong optical design fundamentals, excellent judgment and a stable track record of delivering real hardware. Successful candidates typically have more than six years of experience, although exceptional individuals with three to five years and strong research or PhD backgrounds may also be considered.

This team works hard, moves quickly and values engineers who can take ambiguous technical problems and convert them into structured optical architectures, simulations and actionable design decisions. They prefer candidates who demonstrate commitment and progression in their career history, while still showing the hunger to build innovative optical communication systems at scale.

These roles are full time onsite in Broomfield, Colorado. Relocation is available.

Role Overview

The Senior Optical Designer and Analyst will lead the design, modeling and analysis of free space optical systems for high bandwidth space communication links. You will produce conceptual designs, build detailed optical models, perform tolerance analysis and support the integration of optical subsystems into spacecraft or ground based platforms.

You will collaborate closely with mechanical, electrical, software and controls engineering disciplines to ensure that the optical system architecture is manufacturable, stable and suitable for the mission environment. You will own the lifecycle of optical designs from early modeling through prototyping, test and release.

This is a senior individual contributor role with significant autonomy and technical ownership.

Key Responsibilities

Optical Design and Simulation

• Lead the conceptualization, modeling and simulation of free space optical systems and high speed laser communication paths
• Use tools such as Zemax to optimize performance including wavefront error, radiometric efficiency, manufacturing tolerances and optical alignment sensitivity
• Model free space propagation, far field behaviour and fiber coupling efficiency

Systems Integration

• Work with mechanical, electrical, software and controls engineering teams to integrate optical subsystems into spacecraft or ground platforms
• Ensure optical performance is maintained under thermal, vibrational and operational loads
• Participate in Structural Thermal Optical Performance analysis to validate system robustness

Prototyping, Testing and Verification

• Support prototyping, alignment and lab testing of optical components and assemblies
• Write test procedures and contribute to verification campaigns for performance and environmental compliance

Documentation and Technical Leadership

• Produce high quality technical reports, design documentation and analysis summaries
• Share optical design expertise with junior engineers and cross functional peers
• Support design reviews and internal technical discussions

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, Telecommunications Engineering or a related discipline
• Proven experience designing and analyzing optical systems, preferably for spaceflight or other high precision optical instruments
• Proficiency in optical design tools such as Zemax
• Proficiency in mechanical design tools such as SolidWorks or NX
• Strong understanding of tolerance analysis, free space optical behavior and optical alignment strategies
• US Person required for export regulation compliance

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience designing optical systems for spaceflight, astronomy or other high reliability optical environments
• Experience working in ISO 5 to ISO 8 cleanroom environments
• Spanish language ability
• Experience in a fast paced, small team environment where engineers own end to end technical decisions

Compensation and Benefits

• Base salary between 115,000 and 130,000 USD
• Bonus and equity
• Medical, dental and vision coverage
• 401k plan
• PTO and mental health resources
• Pet and legal insurance options
• Relocation support for qualified candidates

Darwin Recruitment is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.

Adam Slade