Sr. EO/IR Systems Engineer

HEICO Corporation•Santa Barbara, CA

10h•$170,000 - $195,000

About The Position

Santa Barbara Infrared, Inc. (SBIR) is seeking a Senior EO/IR Systems Engineer to join its Systems Engineering Group and report to the CTO. The position defines, designs, and analyzes electro-optical test systems for core product development, including Infrared Scene Projectors, Standard Commercial Products, and Integrated Electro-Optical Test Systems. It also supports product integration, characterization, verification, and validation. The engineer develops product architecture and system requirements for complex EO/IR test systems, models system performance, conducts trade studies, and works with electrical, mechanical, and software engineering teams on new product development and sustaining efforts. The role includes developing and executing test plans, collecting and analyzing test data, calibrating systems, troubleshooting, and supporting program testing. It also involves direct customer interaction during factory acceptance testing, travel to customer facilities for installation, integration, and training, and analysis supporting Sales in identifying solutions for prospective customers. This is a full-time, Monday–Friday position. The listed salary range is $170,000–$195,000 per year, dependent on experience. Travel to customer facilities is required, estimated at 5–15%. Candidates must be U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or individuals granted asylum, with appropriate documentation, and must pass background, reference, ITAR/EAR, and pre-employment drug-screen checks.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in physics, engineering, or another relevant technical field.
At least 10 years of experience in electro-optics, infrared systems, or a related field; an advanced degree may count toward years of experience.
Solid foundation in optics, sensors, and EO/IR sensing systems, applied to ground, air, or space systems.
Experience with physical modeling, simulation, and analysis.
Systems engineering experience on EO/IR system hardware development efforts in one or more of these areas: establishing, maintaining, and flowing down requirements; leading and executing trade studies; failure-mode, root-cause, and corrective-action analysis; product lifecycle support; or test-plan and procedure development.
Laboratory experience testing optical systems and using optical test equipment and components for active and/or passive optical systems.
Experience developing optical error budgets.
Ability to set priorities and organize incoming projects.
Ability to communicate system requirements, testing needs, debugging information, and design concepts to other engineering disciplines.
Familiarity with Microsoft Windows and high proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
Ability to communicate with vendors and customer teams and demonstrate system performance by leading or supporting factory and site acceptance testing.
Ability to travel to customer facilities (5–15%).
Must be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or person granted asylum, with proper documentation.
Must pass background, reference, and ITAR/EAR checks and a pre-employment drug screen.

Nice To Haves

Advanced degree in physics, engineering, or another relevant technical field.
Technical leadership experience, including high-level project planning, technical mentorship, and support for technical roadmap development.
Experience or expertise in opto-mechanical design, analysis (STOP analysis), and tolerancing.
Experience or expertise with EO/IR technology, imaging, radiometry, and calibration techniques.
Proficiency with C-based languages (C/C++), MATLAB, and/or Python.
Proficiency with image-processing and/or image-analysis software.
Experience or expertise with optical design and simulation analysis tools such as Zemax or equivalent.
Experience or expertise with MEMS and/or photolithography fabrication processes and integrated-circuit packaging.
Experience or expertise with electronics, including ICs, microcontrollers, FPGAs, and high-throughput data transfer.

Responsibilities

Develop product architecture and system requirements for complex EO/IR test systems, including requirements decomposition and flowdown.
Perform system performance modeling, trade studies, and requirements-flowdown analysis to support product development.
Work with electrical, mechanical, and software engineering staff to guide new product development and sustaining efforts for standard products.
Work with the technical team to optimize process flow and documentation.
Develop test plans and procedures based on system requirements.
Collect and analyze test data and calibrate systems for optimal performance.
Interact directly with customers during factory acceptance testing.
Travel to customer facilities to lead on-site system installation, integration, and training.
Perform troubleshooting, testing, and calibration in support of ongoing and special-purpose programs.
Perform analysis to support Sales in identifying solutions for potential customers’ applications.
Support product integration, characterization, verification, and validation.