Optical Engineer

Cowboy Space•San Carlos, CA

7d•Onsite

About The Position

The Lasers & Optics team is looking for an Optical Engineer to design and build the free-space optical path for our next generation laser communications system. This role spans the transmitter beam path, the ground receive telescope, and beam diagnostic systems. You will work closely with laser, mechanical, and systems engineers to deliver a working end-to-end optical link.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
3+ years of experience designing free-space optical systems.
Proficiency in Zemax or Code V.
Experience specifying, procuring, and acceptance testing custom optical components and coatings.
Experience with optical tolerance budgeting including Monte Carlo methods, alignment sensitivity analysis, and thermal/athermal analysis across operating temperature ranges.
Experience with structural-thermal-optical (STOP) analysis and multi-physics optical performance modeling.
Hands-on experience aligning and characterizing optical assemblies.
Familiarity with fiber-to-free-space coupling and single-mode fiber injection.

Nice To Haves

Master's or PhD in Optical Engineering or Physics.
5+ years of experience in an aerospace or defense optical systems role.
Experience with FSO communication.
Familiarity with adaptive optics.
Experience with alignment stability analysis for deployable or launch-survivable optical assemblies.
Experience with environmental validation of space-based optical systems (thermal-vacuum, vibration, radiation).
Experience with Class 4 laser lab environments.

Responsibilities

Design and optimize free-space optical assemblies including beam expanders, collimators, and telescope interfaces.
Build and maintain optical system models using Zemax or Code V, including tolerance and stray light analyses.
Define optical interface specifications for mechanical and opto-mechanical design.
Specify optical components, coatings, and filters, and manage procurement and acceptance testing.
Own the optical coupling efficiency budget from the receive telescope to the fiber injection point.
Perform structural-thermal-optical (STOP) analyses in coordination with mechanical and thermal engineers.
Define alignment budgets and verification procedures for deployable opto-mechanical subassemblies, accounting for structural compliance and launch loads.
Define alignment procedures and execute hands-on integration and alignment in the lab.
Generate design specifications, analysis reports, and test plans.