Principal Optical Engineer - 3

Northrop Grumman • Chandler, AZ

1d • $108,200 - $162,400 • Onsite

About The Position

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is hiring a Principal Optical Engineer to support the Electro-Optics Group within the Launch Vehicles business unit in Chandler, Arizona. The engineer will join 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 across visible through long-wave infrared (LWIR) bands, with an emphasis on the effects of opto-mechanical design and environmental conditions on 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 optomechanical designs.
• Experience with optical imaging systems in one or more spectral bands, such as visible, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, or LWIR.
• Demonstrated problem-solving skills for complex optical and optomechanical challenges in a project environment.
• Strong technical communication skills, including clear documentation and the ability to present 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 integrating 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, optomechanical 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

• Contribute to the design and analysis of 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 covering 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 help maintain optical performance through the full mission profile.
• Define optical requirements and allocate tolerances at system, subsystem, and component levels, flowing 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 that capture optomechanical requirements and constraints.
• Support and sometimes lead laboratory and environmental testing, including optical alignment, calibration, performance verification, and analysis-to-test correlation for vibration, thermal, shock, and other conditions.
• Participate in internal and customer design reviews, presenting optical design concepts, analyses, error budgets, and test results.
• Assist with troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and design updates for prototype and production hardware when optical performance issues arise.

Benefits

• Health insurance coverage.
• Life and disability insurance.
• Savings plan.
• Company-paid holidays.
• Paid time off 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: Senior