IR Camera Systems Principal Engineer

Safran DSI•Camarillo, CA

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal Engineer, IR Camera Systems serves as a primary technical authority for Attollo's SWIR (short-wave infrared) and MWIR (mid-wave infrared) camera product lines and adjacent sensor technologies, driving quality, design trade-offs, and risk-based engineering judgment across optical, electronic, firmware, and detector disciplines. This is a high-influence individual contributor role — roughly 40% external-facing (customer technical engagement, requirements negotiation, proposal support, design reviews) and 60% internal (hands-on lab work, troubleshooting, mentoring, and setting technical direction on active programs and new development). The role carries broad technical authority without direct-report responsibility, and requires both the ability to define a solution path and the willingness to work at the bench to realize it.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics, Optical Engineering, Engineering Physics, or a closely related technical discipline.
Deep, hands-on IR camera systems development: System architecture, requirements definition, integration, and characterization.
Cooled SWIR or MWIR experience strongly preferred over uncooled-only.
Strong understanding of cooled detector and IDCA (Integrated Detector Cooler Assembly) fundamentals, detector array characteristics, ROIC (Read-Out Integrated Circuit) interfaces, vacuum packaging, and cryocooler integration sufficient to make sound trade-off decisions and flag risks.
Solid knowledge of camera electronics architecture and analog/digital design (front ends, biasing, power, clocking, data interfaces) enough to define requirements, review designs, and troubleshoot at the bench.
Solid knowledge of camera firmware and embedded software architecture, including image correction/processing functions such as NUC (Non-Uniformity Correction), bad-pixel replacement, auto-exposure/auto-gain, and basic image enhancement.
Demonstrated ability to define and negotiate electrical, optical, mechanical, and environmental requirements with customers.
Ability to obtain Active DoD Secret Security Clearance
Requires U.S. Citizenship required.

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree preferred.
Active or recently active DoD security clearance (Secret or higher).
Direct experience with handheld target locator modules, fire control systems, weapon sights, gimbaled ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) payloads, or guided munition seekers.
Experience leading or contributing to SBIR/STTR (Small Business Innovation Research /Small Business Technology Transfer) or other government R&D proposals.
Experience with FPGA-based camera architecture and image processing pipelines.
Direct experience with cryocooler integration, vacuum packaging design, and detector-level test and characterization.
Experience working in an ITAR environment

Responsibilities

Serve as a primary technical authority for Attollo's SWIR/MWIR camera products and related sensor technologies — making judgment calls on quality, design trade-offs, and risk based on broad industry experience.
Work directly alongside engineers in the lab on assembly, integration, validation, test, and hardware/firmware/software troubleshooting.
Lead and contribute to technical design reviews (PDR/CDR/TRR — Preliminary, Critical, and Test Readiness Reviews) across hardware, firmware, software, and optics.
Define and refine electrical, optical, mechanical, firmware, and environmental requirements for new and existing products.
Drive resolution of difficult cross-disciplinary problems spanning optics, electronics, firmware, image processing, and integration.
Engage credibly with defense primes, mid-tier integrators, and government laboratory customers to solve problems and develop new product concepts.
Lead technical content for proposals — writing key sections and coordinating contributions from other engineers.
Anticipate customer needs and translate them into actionable engineering requirements.
Represent Attollo at design reviews, customer site visits, technical conferences, and industry working groups.
Mentor and develop engineers across disciplines and levels; build the next generation of technical leadership.
Contribute to engineering policies, procedures, and best practices with a bias toward lightweight, small-company-appropriate processes.
Identify capability gaps and propose targeted investments in people, equipment, or training.
Identify, evaluate, and champion new technologies relevant to Attollo's strategic direction.
Lead conceptual development of new products from requirements definition through architecture and early prototyping, bridging strategic roadmap with tactical execution on active programs.
Participate in special projects as assigned