Electro-Optical Systems Engineer

Space Dynamics Laboratory•North Logan, UT

3d•$126,000 - $200,000

About The Position

Space Dynamics Laboratory (SDL) is seeking an Electro-Optical Systems Engineer to join its Strategic & Military Space Division. The engineer will serve as a technical authority bridging optical physics, sensor architecture, and space systems engineering, leading and supporting the architecture, design, modeling, integration, and calibration of visible and infrared payloads for military and civil space applications. The role involves close collaboration with mechanical, thermal, electrical, and software engineering teams, as well as briefings to Government sponsors throughout the program lifecycle, from concept development through flight hardware delivery. SDL’s Strategic & Military Space Division delivers satellite and sensor systems supporting the Department of Defense and the Intelligence Community. The position contributes to national security missions and scientific discovery through the development and testing of space-flight imaging sensors.

Requirements

Bachelor’s or advanced degree in physics, optical engineering, astronomy, or a closely related technical discipline.
Relevant experience by degree: bachelor’s degree and 10 or more years; master’s degree and 8 or more years; or PhD and 4 or more years of industry or research experience.
U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. Government security clearance.
Advanced proficiency in Python or MATLAB for multidimensional array manipulation, automated image processing, and radiometric pipeline development.
Mastery of visible and thermal infrared physics, including Planck’s Law, blackbody calibration sources, detector noise characteristics, and radiometric measurement budgets.
Understanding of optical system behavior under thermal, mechanical, structural, and space-environment constraints, including TVAC, radiation, jitter, and outgassing.
Capability to take technical ownership in one or more core EO domains: optical architecture, stray-light or diffraction analysis, precision optical alignment, or flight-hardware calibration.
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills and a demonstrated record of leading cross-functional teams, managing competing priorities, and delivering under schedule pressure.
Willingness and ability to travel as required for integration, testing, and customer reviews, typically less than 15%.

Nice To Haves

PhD in physics, optical engineering, astronomy, or a closely related technical discipline.
Active TS/SCI clearance.
Direct experience characterizing or integrating visible and infrared detector focal-plane assemblies, such as CCD, CMOS, InSb, HgCdTe, or microbolometers.
Hands-on experience with optical modeling software such as Zemax OpticStudio, FRED, CODE V, or OSLO for optical design, stray-light analysis, and Narcissus-effect analysis.
Experience driving flight-instrument hardware through build, TVAC test, and delivery phases in a NASA, DoW, or national laboratory environment.
Familiarity with Earned Value Management System principles or Cost Account Management, or willingness to learn and oversee technical cost and schedule baselines with program managers.

Responsibilities

Lead the electro-optical payload subsystem through formal milestone reviews, including SRR, PDR, and CDR.
Prepare review packages, establish and maintain technical performance measures (TPMs), manage requirements traceability artifacts, and resolve programmatic action items.
Develop and apply optical design methods, radiometric and photometric models, and trade studies addressing visible and infrared sensor performance, stray light mitigation, and image processing.
Lead and execute optical alignment, benchtop integration, ambient testing, and thermal-vacuum calibration campaigns for visible, short-wave, mid-wave, and long-wave infrared flight payloads.
Write, maintain, and execute automated data-reduction pipelines in Python or MATLAB for multidimensional array manipulation, sensor characterization, and image-quality analysis.
Represent the technical team in customer briefings, technical interchange meetings, and progress reviews, communicating technical risks, performance models, and test results.
Provide work leadership, mentorship, and career-development support for junior and mid-level engineers.
Lead interdisciplinary teams in proposal efforts, concept studies, and architecture trades for small- to mid-sized space programs.
Document innovation through technical papers, conference presentations such as SPIE and AAS, and internal research and development reports.