Senior Principal Optical Systems Engineer
About The Position
The EOIR team is seeking a Senior Principal Optical Engineer to serve as a technical lead for optical implementations and system development on advanced electro‑optical and infrared (EO/IR) systems. In this role, you will work across multiple programs to solve complex challenges, coordinate with architects on program-specific implementations, and engage regularly with customers on technical topics. You will also provide technical mentoring to junior staff as part of a 100% on‑site position based in Linthicum, MD. Northrop Grumman’s EOIR program portfolio focuses on developmental programs and encompasses both imaging and laser systems. For this work, the candidate selected will be responsible for converting system performance and functional requirements into optical architectures, optical layouts, and detailed optical designs for airborne platforms. Responsibilities include analyzing optical design performance, generating and flowing down vendor specifications, and developing and executing alignment, integration, and test (AI&T) plans. The programs themselves range from proof‑of‑concept breadboards through high‑TRL flight systems and requires close collaboration with multidisciplinary engineering teams at all experience levels, as well as regular interaction with customers. A strong candidate for this role has experience in airborne and/or space-based EOIR sensors, experience developing and demonstrating imaging and laser-based optical sensors, experience leading teams to successful program execution, and strength in customer engagements.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree with 8 years of experience, Master's degree with 6 years of experience or Ph.D. with 4 years of experience in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or related technical fields; an additional 4 years of experience may be considered in lieu of a degree
- U.S Citizenship is required
- A current/active U.S. Government Secret Clearance
- Ability to obtain Special Program Access
- Experience in Zemax, Code V, and/or FRED for optical design and analysis.
- Experience with optical theory and detailed optical design for both imaging and non-imaging systems.
- Demonstrated ability to work in a team-based environment, collaborating with systems, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing disciplines.
Nice To Haves
- Experience with VIS, SWIR, MWIR, and/or LWIR remote sensing systems for both passive and active applications
- Experience with material selection, including bulk optical materials, coatings, and environmental durability for VIS–LWIR optical systems
- Experience with laser beam propagation and coupling between components (e.g., sources, fibers, free-space optics, and detectors).
- Experience performing stray light analysis, tolerancing analysis, and related performance trades.
- Hands-on experience with optical prototyping, fabrication, and test, including interpretation of inspection and test data.
- Experience generating optical component requirements and flowing system-level requirements down to subsystems and parts.
- Experience designing, aligning, integrating, and testing active and passive optical systems, from breadboard through flight to fielded hardware.
- Familiarity with free-space electro‑optic device physics and technologies (e.g., lasers, modulators, detectors, and associated subsystems).
- Experience generating and executing alignment, integration, and test (AI&T) plans for optical systems and optical components.
- Understanding of photonics and photonic components, such as integrated photonic devices, fiber-based components, and related subsystems.
Responsibilities
- Define architectures and lead implementations for IRAD, CRAD, and execution programs
- Mentor and develop junior team members
- Design, develop, integrate, test, and deploy optical systems for novel EOIR systems
- Build and maintain physics-based sensor models
- Develop and quantify performance metrics for system performance
- Understand data quality and artifact impacts
- Represent system performance in functional and analytical models
Benefits
- Health Plan
- Savings Plan
- Paid Time Off
- Education Assistance
- Training and Development
- 9/80 Work Schedule (where available)
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Senior
