Senior Photonics Engineer, Free-Space Optics

K2 Space•Los Angeles, CA

About The Position

K2 is hiring a Senior Photonics Engineer focused on free-space optics to define how the company measures and models the atmosphere and how its optical hardware is designed to operate through it. The role spans free-space optical communications, adaptive optics, and integrated photonics, with ownership of the full experimental and modeling cycle, from laboratory experiments to outdoor and mountaintop field campaigns. The engineer will develop tabletop emulators of atmospheric turbulence, test optical hardware within emulated and real atmospheric channels, and own K2's optical propagation and channel models. They will use measured data to inform requirements for photonic integrated circuit, test, and payload teams, set the experiment roadmap, automate experiments on the team's shared test framework, and mentor engineers and technicians. As K2's payloads grow, the role may also consult on remote-sensing and other payloads that look through the atmosphere. The position involves collaboration with PIC designers, test engineers, and the optical payload team. Field work may include rooftop and test-range links as well as night campaigns at mountaintop optical ground stations and observatories.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in optics, physics, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.
At least 5 years of hands-on free-space optics experience in free-space optical communications, adaptive optics, or atmospheric propagation; a relevant PhD counts toward this requirement.
Experience leading free-space optical experiments end to end, including designing and aligning benches, taking data, and correlating results with models.
Working knowledge of optical turbulence and propagation theory, including Cn², Fried parameter, and Rytov variance.
Python skills for modeling and analysis.

Nice To Haves

MS or PhD in optics, physics, or a related field.
Adaptive optics experience in astronomy, beam control, or free-space optical communications.
Experience with photonic integrated circuits, photonic lanterns, or fiber coupling through turbulence.
Pointing, acquisition, and tracking experience, including fast steering mirrors or beacon tracking, or optical link performance analysis involving BER, SNR, scintillation, and fading.
Experience with spatial light modulators, deformable or fast steering mirrors, or phase-plate turbulence emulators.
Field campaign experience at an observatory or outdoor optical test range, including night operations.
Experience with remote sensing, lidar, or atmospheric characterization instruments.
Experience with wave-optics simulation tools such as AOTools or WaveProp, and Zemax.

Responsibilities

Design and build tabletop experiments that emulate optical propagation through turbulent media using spatial light modulators, phase plates, and phase-screen generation; validate them against target statistics such as Cn², r0, scintillation, beam wander, wavefront error, and fade statistics.
Test receivers in the loop, including free-space optics, fiber and photonic-chip front ends, and control electronics; measure coupling efficiency, fading, bit error rate, and control-loop bandwidth.
Characterize wavefront sensing and correction hardware, including Shack-Hartmann sensors, deformable mirrors, and SLMs, alongside photonic-integrated alternatives.
Conduct outdoor horizontal-path links on rooftops and test ranges, followed by night campaigns at mountaintop optical ground stations and observatories; coordinate sites, obtain laser-safety approvals, transport equipment, conduct night operations, and reduce data.
Own and maintain K2's optical propagation and channel models in Python; calibrate them against lab and field data, quantify uncertainty, and translate results into requirements.
Define the experiment roadmap by identifying measurements that most reduce model uncertainty and setting the lab-to-field test plan.
Automate experiments on the team's shared test framework so lab and field data use a common pipeline.
Mentor engineers and technicians supporting experiments.
Consult on remote-sensing and other payloads that look through the atmosphere as K2's payloads grow.