Scientist, Optical Engineering (Technical Manager)

L3Harris Technologies•Town of Gates, NY

16h•$140,500 - $261,500

About The Position

The Optical Engineering Technical Manager leads and develops optical engineers supporting optical components, subassemblies, systems, and payloads for the Space Systems sector. The role translates mission requirements into practical engineering solutions and guides work from architecture studies through design, manufacture, integration, testing, and sell-off of space-based EO/IR systems. The position combines people leadership with direct technical contributions to assigned programs and proposals. In collaboration with the Discipline Leader and program teams, the manager aligns staffing, resources, and individual contributions with sector priorities and cost and schedule commitments. The role requires technical depth in optical engineering and collaboration with specialists across the organization to address broader business portfolio needs, capabilities, and operational priorities. The manager leads team operations and technical work, including optical analysis and design, program execution, proposals, staffing and resource planning, capability development, budget recommendations, and compliance. The position supports optical systems across the ultraviolet to long-wave infrared spectrum and works with multidisciplinary teams to mature designs, support fabrication and environmental testing, and verify mission performance.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Optics, Physics, or a related engineering discipline and at least 12 years of related experience; or a graduate degree and at least 10 years of related experience; or, in lieu of a degree, at least 16 years of related experience.
At least five years of leadership experience managing engineering teams, technical organizations, or significant multidisciplinary engineering work scopes; technical team leadership experience qualifies.
Ability to obtain a federal security clearance.

Nice To Haves

Active Secret or Top Secret clearance.
Advanced degree in Optical Engineering, Optics, Physics, or a related discipline.
Experience developing, integrating, and delivering optical components, subassemblies, systems, or payloads for space applications, including environmental qualification and acceptance testing.
Experience with structural-thermal-optical performance analysis (STOP), athermalization, or optomechanical design.
Non-sequential analysis experience using FRED or equivalent software, or specialized experience in stray light, radiometry, polarization, multispectral, or hyperspectral systems.
Experience with precision optical metrology and advanced alignment techniques, including wavefront analysis using Zernike polynomials for refractive or reflective optical assemblies.
Familiarity with detector characterization, calibration, image quality assessment, and end-to-end electro-optical performance modeling.
Knowledge of the effects of radiation, vacuum, contamination, and thermal cycling on optical materials, coatings, adhesives, and assemblies.
Experience with optical fabrication and supplier management, including fabrication process capabilities and optical coatings.
Experience using MATLAB, Python, or similar tools for analysis, test automation, or data reduction.
Experience with optical design software such as CodeV or Zemax OpticStudio.
Experience supporting competitive proposals, technology maturation, customer technical exchanges, and strategic planning.
Experience leading teams through on-orbit commissioning or anomaly resolution.
Ability to architect an end-to-end space system with a full understanding of the product lifecycle.
Demonstrated technical leadership in optical design and analysis for space, aerospace, or defense applications.
Strong command of geometrical optics, diffraction, imaging, radiometry, and component tolerancing.
Practical experience with optical alignment, integration, testing, and requirements verification, including interferometry, optical test layouts, and optical measurement data analysis.
Demonstrated ability to plan technical work, balance multiple program priorities, and communicate analysis results, recommendations, and execution status to engineers, program teams, customers, and leadership.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop optical engineers and technical leads, with an average of 20 direct reports; set expectations, hold individual and department meetings, recognize contributions, and support engagement and retention.
Lead hiring and onboarding, assess performance, support career development and knowledge transfer, identify training needs, and follow management and HR processes.
Plan staffing, workload, equipment availability, and assignment transitions; match employee skills to current and anticipated needs and coordinate resources with discipline and program leadership.
Provide technical direction and direct engineering support for assigned programs and new business pursuits, including mission-specific requirements, architectures, designs, and trade studies for active and passive optical systems from ultraviolet to long-wave infrared.
Develop and guide optical analyses and error budgets to predict performance in test and operational environments, including structural-thermal-optical performance analysis as applicable.
Evaluate image quality, wavefront error, modulation transfer function, ensquared energy, radiometric performance, and stray light; ensure component and subassembly specifications and tolerances support system performance, verification, and mission requirements.
Partner with systems, mechanical, electrical, thermal, manufacturing, mission assurance, and program test teams to mature optical designs and support fabrication, environmental testing, and verification.
Improve optical engineering methods and capabilities through new technologies, advanced metrology, automation, and reusable analyses; support transfer of development work into production.
Manage and assess the optical team's contribution to program cost, schedule, and technical baselines; track progress, resolve resource conflicts, and communicate risks and recovery plans.
Guide optical alignment, metrology, and test layouts; mentor engineers in fabrication, integration, and environmental testing techniques, including vibration and thermal-vacuum testing.
Compare predicted performance with test results to support verification and qualification; lead or support troubleshooting, root-cause investigations, corrective actions, and engineering change reviews.
Support proposals, technical solution development, vendor assessments, and basis-of-estimate preparation; review optical scope, performance, manufacturability, testability, cost, and schedule tradeoffs, and approve technical baselines within delegated authority.
Engage customers and leadership on optical technical decisions as needed.
Contribute to improvements in optical engineering methods and department practices, reusable analyses, capability development, production transitions, discipline roadmaps, and tool needs.
Establish and execute one- to two-year operational plans for the optical engineering organization, including capability development, resource allocation, engineering infrastructure, and budget recommendations.
Manage assigned department budgets, expenditures, and routine approvals within delegated authority; ensure accurate timekeeping and required training completion; enforce workplace safety, security, export-control, and engineering compliance.