Optical Design/ Coating Engineer

Blue Origin•Littleton, CO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Blue Origin is seeking a detail-oriented Optical Design/ Coating Engineer to design, develop, and optimize advanced optics and coatings for next-generation space vehicles, sensors, and optical payloads. The role bridges theoretical optical design with hands-on optics and coating manufacturing, producing high-performance coatings—including anti-reflective, high-reflective, and custom spectral filters—for mission-critical components such as star trackers, LIDAR systems, laser communication terminals, spacecraft windows, and onboard imaging systems. The engineer will collaborate with R&D, systems engineering, manufacturing technicians, and quality assurance teams to deliver robust, flight-qualified optical components for extreme thermal, vacuum, and radiation environments. The work supports orbital and suborbital missions and Blue Origin’s national security efforts, including programs such as New Glenn, New Shepard, and Blue Moon. The position is onsite in a cleanroom/manufacturing environment and requires the ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.

Requirements

Bachelor's, Master's, or Ph.D. in Optical Engineering, Physics, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
At least 7 years of hands-on experience in optical design, coatings, and optical metrology.
Proficiency with thin-film design software such as FilmStar, Essential Macleod, or similar.
Deep understanding of high-vacuum systems, thin-film growth mechanics, and material properties of oxides, fluorides, and metals relevant to space-qualified optics.
Experience with optical characterization tools such as spectrophotometers, white-light interferometers, and ellipsometers.
Familiarity with environmental durability testing, including humidity, abrasion, thermal shock, and adhesion testing per MIL-C-48497 or similar standards.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills and ability to collaborate in a multidisciplinary, fast-paced aerospace manufacturing environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills for cross-functional technical collaboration.
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance.
Ability to work onsite in a cleanroom/manufacturing environment.

Nice To Haves

Aerospace or defense industry experience.
Experience designing coatings for space-flight hardware, satellite optics, or high-power laser systems.
Familiarity with laser damage threshold testing for high-energy laser communication or directed energy applications.
Experience with automated coating platforms and chamber hardware customization.
Knowledge of AS9100/ISO 9001 quality standards and Statistical Process Control implementation.
Background in radiation-hardened or radiation-tolerant optical materials.
Experience with ASTM E595 outgassing testing and materials selection for vacuum environments.

Responsibilities

Design and model optics with multilayer thin-film coating stacks using industry-standard simulation software to meet spectral, thermal, and space-environment durability requirements for flight hardware.
Develop, scale, and optimize physical vapor deposition processes, including e-beam evaporation, ion-assisted deposition, and ion beam sputtering, in high-vacuum chambers.
Support environmental qualification testing, including thermal vacuum, vibration, and outgassing testing per ASTM E595.
Test and analyze spectral performance using spectrophotometers, ellipsometers, and interferometers to verify transmission, reflection, absorption, and laser damage threshold specifications.
Diagnose coating defects, spectral shifts, and adhesion failures using data-driven methods such as Statistical Process Control, DOE, and Six Sigma to improve production yield and reliability.
Transition successful prototypes into full-scale manufacturing and author standard operating procedures, work instructions, and training documentation compliant with aerospace quality systems.
Collaborate with systems engineers, mechanical designers, and mission assurance teams to integrate optical components into avionics, sensor suites, and payload systems.
Support supplier qualification and incoming inspection criteria for outsourced coating processes when applicable.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Basic and supplemental life insurance.
Paid parental leave.
Short- and long-term disability.
401(k) with company match of up to 5%.
Education Support Program.
Stock options for regular employees working at least 20 hours per week.
Up to four weeks of paid time off per year based on weekly scheduled hours.
Up to 14 company-paid holidays.
Employees may be eligible for benefits and bonuses based on role type, job level, and other factors; amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed.