Sr. Electro-Optical Engineer

nLIGHT • Longmont, CO

13d • $170,000 - $210,000 • Onsite

About The Position

Electro-Optical (EO) Engineers at nLIGHT DEFENSE Systems, Inc. are the engine of execution. As a Senior EO Engineer, you are expected to serve as a technical authority and execution leader, not only problem-solving and aligning systems during system integration but leading the planning, coordination, and technical execution of complex, multi-disciplinary development and integration efforts.

Senior EO Engineers mentor and help technically guide other engineers and technicians, shaping best practices while learning and applying a broad set of multi-disciplinary tools and techniques ranging from opto-mechanical design and integration methods to software integration, controls, and advanced data analysis.

This role is designed for individuals who have progressed beyond disciplined bench execution and now routinely lead integrated product teams, own subsystem or system-level technical performance, influence programmatic decisions, and interface directly with internal stakeholders and external customers. If you want a career progression opportunity that leads from technical leadership to integrated product team lead and ultimately a technical program or system architect role, delivering complete EO systems to customers, then we are the right place for you.

All applicants must possess or be qualified to obtain a U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Preference will be given to candidates with an existing U.S. DoD Personnel Security Clearance. Further information on requirements to obtain a security clearance is available at: https://www.dcsa.mil/mc/pv/mbi/gicp/. Please review this information before applying.

Requirements

• Commitment to Excellence. Attention to Detail. Pride in Workmanship.
• Ability to work in a dynamic environment and maintain composure and strong working relationships under pressure.
• Ability to independently plan, prioritize, and execute work with minimal oversight, meeting mid- to long-term program milestones.
• Advanced problem-solving capability, with the ability to synthesize information from multiple technical disciplines to reach sound engineering decisions.
• Installation, alignment, and integration of optics, electro-optics, and mechanics (COTS and custom). Demonstrated leadership in enforcing cleanliness, contamination control, and process discipline, including cleanroom environments.
• Recognized expertise in working with laser and electro-optical systems, including safety, reliability, and performance optimization.
• Exhibit expert-level troubleshooting skills to solve complex and constrained opto-mechanical alignment problems, particularly for ruggedized systems.
• Author, review, and approve technical reports, test plans, procedures, and customer-facing documentation.
• Extensive experience with high power laser systems, including thermal, coating, nonlinear, and reliability considerations.
• Integration of auto-alignment algorithms and methods, including algorithm selection and performance trade studies.
• Lead integration efforts for real-time control of electro-optical and mechanical components using LabVIEW, MATLAB, firmware, and/or C/C++/C# (normally involving code re-use).
• Experience with electro-optical systems including acquisition, pointing, and tracking, with demonstrated ownership of system-level performance metrics.
• Strong working proficiency in MATLAB and/or C/C++/C#; ability to review, modify, and guide software development.
• Experience in Adaptive Optical (AO) Systems.
• Experience in specification and evaluation of optical coating requirements, particularly for high power applications.
• Experience with optical fiber splicing, polishing, repair/service, and fiber management.
• Experience mentoring engineers and technicians and providing technical direction across disciplines.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in rugged design for optical systems including kinematic, flexure mounting, and optical/structural adhesive mounting.
• System-level understanding of electro-optical architecture and interface management.
• Experience in optical system alignment and test methods, including tolerance analysis and alignment planning.
• Experience in opto-mechanical assembly, including receiving and inspecting components, dry-assembly, and bonding.
• Experience in thermal management systems and thermal performance trade-offs.
• STOP analysis (structural, thermal, optical performance).
• Experience in vibration test, analysis, and isolation methods, particularly jitter analysis for opto-mechanical systems.
• Experience in finite element analysis (FEA) modeling of vibration and thermal effects.
• Static structure, fatigue, random vibration, and modal analysis.
• Experience in computational fluid dynamics (CFD) analysis.
• Advanced experience with MATLAB and LabVIEW.
• Experience in Adaptive Optics (AO) Systems and/or High Energy Laser systems.
• Exposure to MIL‑STD‑810 design, analysis, and/or qualification testing.
• Experience with operation of machining, welding, or fabrication equipment.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, integration, and test of High Energy Laser (HEL) Weapon Systems and/or HEL Beam Control Systems (BCS).
• Serve as a system or subsystem technical lead, driving architecture, interfaces, requirements flow-down, and verification strategies.
• Responsibilities include hardware integration and test, definition of test strategies, data processing, and preparation of formal performance, qualification, and acceptance test documentation.
• Define, design, and approve complex test setups to evaluate key system performance parameters.
• Coordinate and technically direct team members to execute complex integration activities across optics, mechanics, electronics, firmware, and software.
• Provide on-site and remote technical leadership during field tests, including troubleshooting, data analysis, and real-time decision-making.
• Identify technical risks and develop mitigation plans in coordination with program management.

Benefits

• 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year
• 11 paid Holidays
• Employee Stock Purchase Plan
• Tuition Assistance Program
• Health (ACA Gold Plan), Vision and Dental Care paid by employer 100% for Employee and 75% for Dependents
• Paid Family Leave, Short and Long Term Disability paid by employer 100%
• Competitive 401k with company match and immediate vesting

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 251-500 employees