Senior Optical Engineer

Foundational; Greater London; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

EMI share options (UK employees)

25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays

Enhanced Parental Leave

Cycle to work schemes

Offices in central London

Job summary

Foundational in London is seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to own optical design across our laser ranging stations, tracking systems and retroreflector products. This is a hands-on senior role.

You will set the architecture, run the analyses and be in the lab when hardware is built. You will lead transmit/receive designs, perform tolerancing, test optics for daylight and night operation, and mentor graduates while writing technical content for ESA and customers.

Qualifications

• Extensive experience in optical engineering for space/instrumentation.
• Proficiency with optical design software and tolerance analysis.
• Hands-on alignment, metrology and test experience.

Responsibilities

• Lead optical design for transmit and receive paths from requirements to hardware verification.
• Design and test optics for tracking satellites in daylight and at night.
• Support design and test of retroreflector arrays for LEO/MEO missions.
• Run trade studies on telescopes, coatings and filters with suppliers.
• Mentor graduate and junior engineers and set design/test standards.
• Write technical content for ESA and customer programmes.

Skills

Optical engineering

Zemax OpticStudio

CODE V

Tolerance analysis

Interferometry

Wavefront sensing

Radiometry

High‑power laser optics

Technical writing

Education

Advanced degree in optics or related field

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

CODE V

Job description

Senior Optical Engineer

This is a future role. We're building a shortlist now and will contact you when it opens.

About us

Foundational is building the most precise picture of Earth and orbit, using lasers fired from the ground. We call it ground truth for orbit.

We design and run low-cost, autonomous satellite laser ranging stations. They measure the distance to satellites with extreme precision, day and night. Our data platform turns those measurements into tracking data and orbit products for satellite operators, space agencies and governments. We also build our own flight‑proven laser retroreflector arrays, so any satellite can be tracked.

Our station network is expanding across Europe, South America, Africa and Australia. The data supports resilient navigation, Earth observation and the safe, sustainable use of space.

We're a small, fast‑moving team of engineers, scientists and operators in London. We're backed by venture investors and supported by ESA, the UK Space Agency, Innovate UK and the European Innovation Council.

Position Overview

London · Full time · On-site

You'll own optical design across our laser ranging stations, optical tracking systems and retroreflector products. This is a hands‑on senior role. You'll set the architecture, run the analysis and be in the lab when it's built.

What you'll do

• Lead optical design for transmit and receive paths, from requirements and tolerancing through to verified hardware

• Design and test optics for tracking satellites in daylight and at night

• Support the design and test of retroreflector arrays for LEO and MEO missions

• Run trade studies with suppliers on telescopes, windows, coatings and filters

• Mentor graduate and junior engineers, and set our standards for optical design and test

• Write technical content for ESA and customer programmes
  

What you'll bring

• Extensive experience in optical engineering, ideally on astronomical, laser, defence or space instruments

• Strong skills in optical design software (Zemax OpticStudio, CODE V or similar) and in tolerance analysis

• Hands‑on alignment, metrology and test experience (interferometry, wavefront sensing, radiometry)

• A working knowledge of high‑power laser optics: coatings, contamination and damage thresholds

• Clear technical writing for design reviews and bids

Nice to have

• Experience with satellite laser ranging, lidar, free‑space optical comms or adaptive optics

• Stray light analysis

• Observatory or telescope experience

• ECSS or ESA project experience

What We Offer

• A high‑impact role with real ownership at an early‑stage, venture‑backed spacetech company

• EMI share options (UK employees)

• 25 Days Annual Leave + Bank Holidays

• Enhanced Parental Leave

• Cycle to work schemes

• Work alongside engineers and scientists across optics, lasers, software and astrodynamics

• Offices in central London, with snacks, tea, coffee and regular socials

We actively champion underrepresented groups and seek to bridge gaps in our workforce. If you're excited by the role but don't match every point, or you’re seeking a part time role, please apply anyway and add a note into your application. Building the best team is our priority.