Optical Engineer

Harmattan AI; Paris; On-site; EUR 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Harmattan AI in Paris is seeking an Optical Engineer for the Gimbal team to own the optical performance of EO/IR imaging payloads, shaping current products and future designs. You will drive sizing, sensor selection, and integration with mechanical, electronics, software, and perception teams.

You will build and validate test benches, run image quality measurements (MTF, NETD), and develop calibration pipelines, while collaborating across a startup-style environment that values rigor and rapid

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or engineering degree with optics specialization.
• 3+ years experience in optical engineering for cameras or imaging systems.
• Proven ability to size electro-optical or infrared systems.
• Hands-on experience with camera calibration, MTF, NETD.
• Experience building optical test benches from design to validation.
• Solid grounding in image processing: distortion corrections.
• Experience with thermal cameras is a strong plus.
• Autonomous, rigorous, startup-ready with fast iteration.

Responsibilities

• Size and design EO/IR imaging payloads balancing FOV, resolution, range and sensor choice.
• Select lenses and sensors or lead custom optical designs against quality targets.
• Build and maintain optical test benches for development and production.
• Measure and validate image quality: MTF, focus, boresight, distortion, NETD.
• Develop the calibration pipeline with software and perception teams.
• Integrate optics into mechanical assemblies with tolerancing, athermalisation, sealing.
• Manage optical suppliers and support industrialization of lenses, sensors, and components.
• Run field tests to assess image quality in real operating conditions.

Skills

Optical engineering

Camera imaging systems

Startup experience

Autonomy and pragmatism

Education

Master’s degree in optics/engineering

Tools

Camera calibration tools

MTF measurement equipment

Thermal imaging hardware

Job description

About Us

Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces.

Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected.

About the Role

As an Optical Engineer in the Gimbal team, you are responsible for the optical performance of our EO/IR imaging payloads, which drive image quality, detection range, and robustness in operation. You will work on current products and shape the design of future ones. You follow each product from sizing and prototyping through validation and mass production, working closely with the mechanical, electronics, software, computer vision and industrialization teams.

Responsibilities

• Sizing and design of EO/IR imaging payloads, arbitrating between field of view, resolution, range, and sensor choice.

• Select lenses and sensors, or lead custom optical designs, against image quality and robustness targets.

• Design, build, and maintain optical test benches for development, validation, and production.

• Measure and validate image quality: MTF, focus, boresight, distortion, and NETD for infrared.

• Develop the camera calibration pipeline (intrinsics, extrinsics, distortion, photometric and radiometric correction) with the software and perception teams.

• Integrate optics into mechanical assemblies, covering tolerancing, athermalisation, windows, coatings, and sealing.

• Investigate optical issues across the product life cycle, from prototype to series production.

• Manage optical suppliers and support industrialization of lenses, sensors, and components.

• Run field tests to assess image quality in real operating conditions.

Candidate Requirements

• Master’s degree or engineering degree with a specialization in optics.

• 3+ years of experience in optical engineering, ideally on camera or imaging systems.

• Proven experience sizing an electro-optical or infrared optical system.

• Hands-on experience with standard optical measurements such as camera calibration, MTF, and NETD.

• Experience developing optical test benches, from architecture to validation and integration.

• Solid grounding in image processing: distortion, gamma, and geometric and photometric correction.

• Experience with thermal cameras is a strong plus.

• Hands-on, rigorous, and pragmatic, with the autonomy to iterate fast in a startup environment.

We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.