Laser Engineer - Directed Energy

Electro Optic Systems International Pty Ltd; Canberra; On-site; AUD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

EOS is building our high energy laser weapon capability. The Directed Energy group develops laser systems for counter-uncrewed aircraft and short-range air defence, spanning the laser source, beam director, tracking and fire control, power and thermal management and platform integration.

As a Laser Engineer you will work on the source itself: amplifier chains, pump architecture, beam delivery and combining that turn electrical power into a militarily useful beam on target.

Qualifications

• Degree in physics, photonics, optical engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience with high power laser systems, fibre or bulk solid-state.
• Demonstrated competence aligning and safely operating Class 4 lasers, CW and pulsed.
• Experience with laser diagnostics including power meters, beam profilers, beam quality measurement, wavefront sensors and optical spectrum analysers.
• Willingness to travel to test ranges and trial sites, including out-of-hours work.

Responsibilities

• Design, build, align and characterise high power laser sources and beam paths.
• Specify and select laser components and lead technical exchanges with vendors.
• Characterise system performance including output power, beam quality, spectral content, polarisation and stability.
• Design and execute laboratory and range test campaigns with test plans and reports.
• Diagnose and resolve laser faults during integration and trials.

Education

Degree in physics, photonics, optical engineering or closely related discipline

Tools

Power meters

Beam profilers

Optical spectrum analysers

Job description

We continually strive to help our workforce achieve their professional and personal goals, engaging them in challenging and inspiring projects. EOS – Who are we? EOS is a world leader in designing, developing and building advanced technology products and services for the global defence and space domains. We develop and produce systems that can detect, identify, stabilise, control and communicate to inform strategic decision-making. EOS operates on the global stage and is a well-established member of the international defence and space communities.

Job Summary

EOS is building our high energy laser weapon capability. The Directed Energy group develops and demonstrates laser systems in the tens to hundreds of kilowatts class for counter-uncrewed aircraft system (C-UAS) and short range air defence roles, spanning the laser source, beam director, tracking and fire control, power and thermal management, and platform integration. As a Laser Engineer you will work on the source itself: the amplifier chains, pump architecture, beam delivery and combining that turn electrical power into a militarily useful beam on target. You will spend your time between the laboratory, the integration floor and the range, and you will see your work fired at real targets rather than modelled indefinitely. This is a hands-on engineering role with genuine technical latitude, in a small team where the person who designs the subsystem is usually the person who aligns it, tests it and fixes it before a demonstration. Every role in this team spends time in the field. Our systems are proven at the test range and on trial sites, and you will be there when that happens.

Primary duties

The job plays a pivotal role in the design, build and performance of the high energy laser sources at the heart of every EOS directed energy product. You will provide expertise in high power laser design, alignment, characterisation and power scaling, and in translating laser requirements into achievable subsystem specifications for the wider engineering team.

Key Responsibilities

• Design, build, align and characterise high power laser sources and beam paths, including fibre amplifier chains, pump modules and beam combining architectures.
• Specify and select laser components including gain fibre, diodes, isolators, collimators, gratings and coatings, and lead the technical exchange with vendors.
• Characterise system performance including output power, beam quality, spectral content, polarisation and stability across duty cycle and thermal soak.
• Design and execute laboratory and range test campaigns, producing test plans, procedures and result reports that stand up to customer and independent scrutiny.
• Diagnose and resolve laser faults during integration and trials, including thermal effects, optical damage, nonlinear effects, back-reflection and alignment drift.
• Work with the optical, mechanical, thermal, electrical and software teams to decompose laser requirements into subsystem specifications and interface definitions.
• Support laser safety governance under AS/NZS IEC 60825, including hazard analysis, nominal ocular hazard distance calculation, control measures and safe operating procedures.
• Produce and maintain design documentation, analysis and configuration records within the EOS systems engineering framework.

Experience

• Degree in physics, photonics, optical engineering or a closely related discipline.
• Minimum 3 years of hands-on experience with high power laser systems, fibre or bulk solid-state.
• Demonstrated competence aligning and safely operating Class 4 lasers, continuous wave and pulsed.
• Practical experience with laser diagnostics including power meters, beam profilers, beam quality measurement, wavefront sensors and optical spectrum analysers.
• Working understanding of the thermal and nonlinear effects that limit power scaling, and of the mitigations available.
• Clear technical writing and the ability to explain results to engineers from other disciplines and to non-specialist stakeholders.
• Comfortable working in the laboratory, on the integration floor and outdoors on a range in variable conditions.
• Willingness to travel to the test range and trial sites regularly, including periods of out-of-hours work around demonstration campaigns.

Highly regarded

• Postgraduate qualification in laser physics, photonics or a related field.
• Experience with spectral or coherent beam combining of multiple laser channels.
• Familiarity with AS/NZS IEC 60825 and AS 2243.5, or qualification as a Laser Safety Officer.
• Prior involvement in high energy laser or other directed energy programmes.

Are you looking for a career that will challenge you, help you grow and give you a chance to work with unique, state-of-the-art technologies?

Our team come from a diverse range of disciplines and backgrounds and include engineers, scientists, technicians, project managers and administrative staff.

EOS designs, develops, and builds the world's most accurate and highest precision remote weapon systems. EOS has designed, manufactured and exported advanced technology systems for nearly 40 years. Our product range covers remote weapon systems, turrets, high energy laser weapons, counter-drone systems, and space intelligence and space control services.