Principal Optical Engineer - 3

Northrop Grumman • Chandler, AZ

9d • $108,200 - $162,400

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a Principal Optical Engineer to support the Electro-Optics Group within the Launch Vehicles business unit in Chandler, Arizona. The engineer will work on a multidisciplinary seeker engineering team responsible for optical design, analysis, integration, and testing of development and flight hardware. The work focuses on optical engineering for imaging and sensing systems spanning visible through LWIR, with emphasis on how opto-mechanical design and environmental conditions affect optical performance.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of relevant experience; alternatively, a Master’s degree and 3 years of experience, or a PhD and 1 year of experience.
• Active U.S. Government Secret security clearance at the time of application.
• Demonstrated experience with optical systems used in imaging, sensing, or seeker applications; experience may include internships, projects, or early-career roles.
• Experience with optical performance analysis and understanding of how structural and thermal environments affect imaging quality and line of sight, including STOP/SILOS concepts.
• Proficiency with optical modeling tools such as ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, or equivalent for design, analysis, and tolerancing.
• Experience with 3D CAD tools such as CREO, NX, or SolidWorks to interface with opto-mechanical designs.
• Experience with optical imaging systems in one or more spectral bands, such as visible, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, or LWIR.
• Problem-solving skills for complex optical and optomechanical challenges in a project environment.
• Strong technical communication skills, including preparing clear documentation and presenting optical design and analysis results to technical and non-technical audiences.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or Mechanical Engineering with a focus on optical systems.
• Previous experience with DoD missile defense or seeker programs, including familiarity with performance verification frameworks, environmental qualification, and flight-test correlation.
• Hands-on experience with STOP and SILOS modeling workflows and integration of structural and thermal results with optical design tools.
• Experience with missile systems, seeker systems, or other high-reliability electro-optical applications operating in challenging environments.
• Previous experience or knowledge of DoD missile defense programs and associated standards.
• Deep experience with EO systems, including optical design, analysis and tolerancing, stray-light control, error budgets, radiometric budgets, opto-mechanical design, and focal-plane technologies.
• Proficiency with optical design tools such as ZEMAX, Code V, and FRED, and mechanical or optomechanical CAD tools such as NX and SolidWorks.
• Experience planning and executing optical and environmental test campaigns and correlating measured optical performance with predictive analyses.
• Experience with ANSYS Mechanical.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze optical systems for imaging and sensing applications, including refractive and reflective optics, relay optics, athermalized systems, and objective lenses.
• Analyze optical performance, including wavefront error, MTF, line-of-sight stability, boresight, sensitivity, and tolerancing, across expected environmental and operational conditions.
• Develop and maintain optical error budgets that account for alignment, manufacturing tolerances, thermal and structural effects, and line-of-sight stability.
• Perform Structurally Induced Line of Sight (SILOS) analysis with structural and thermal analysts to preserve optical performance throughout the mission profile.
• Define optical requirements and allocate tolerances at system, subsystem, and component levels; flow requirements to optomechanical design and manufacturing.
• Collaborate with opto-mechanical, systems, electrical, and manufacturing engineers to ensure optical designs are realizable, producible, and testable.
• Guide and review optomechanical designs, including mounts, cells, and structures, to support optical alignment, stability, and environmental robustness.
• Develop and review parametric 3D CAD models, detailed drawings, and documentation describing opto-mechanical requirements and constraints.
• Support and sometimes lead laboratory and environmental testing, including optical alignment, calibration, performance verification, and correlation of analysis to vibration, thermal, shock, and other test results.
• Participate in internal and customer design reviews, presenting optical design concepts, analyses, error budgets, and test results.
• Troubleshoot prototype and production hardware, conduct root-cause analysis, and support design updates when optical performance issues arise.

Benefits

• Relocation assistance may be available.
• Health insurance coverage.
• Life insurance.
• Disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
• Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal