Chief Engineer (Optical Comms)

Apolink; Palo Alto, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 220,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Relocation help

Medical benefits

Dental & Vision

401(k)

Job summary

Apolink is building the first-ever backward-compatible data relay constellation in low Earth orbit. The Chief Engineer (Optical) leads optical architectures, links, and verification for our LEO data relay system, hands-on with analysis, integration, and testing, while guiding vendor work.

This sole-contributor leadership role shapes the future of space optical communications. The role requires deep experience in free-space optical links, MS/PhD in optics/EE/physics, and the ability to make

Qualifications

• 6+ years in free-space optical communications, coherent optical transport, or spaceborne photonics.
• Direct, hands-on experience with LEO-LEO optical inter-satellite links: designing, building, or verifying crosslink terminals between spacecraft.
• Demonstrated experience directing vendor technical performance and NRE programs.
• Capacity to exercise independent technical judgment as the sole optical authority and be accountable for it.

Responsibilities

• Own optical ISL and feeder-link architecture: wavelength plan, modulation and coding, aperture and divergence sizing, data rate vs range tradespace.
• Develop and maintain end-to-end optical link budgets, including coherent receiver sensitivity, PAT margin, platform jitter, point-ahead, Doppler, stray light, fade statistics, and BER against realistic FEC.
• Author optical requirements and ICDs, and manage flowdown to the vendor and to internal bus, flight software, and ground teams.
• Direct the vendor technically: down-select, diligence, SOW and NRE scoping, design review participation, and accountability for performance and schedule.
• Adjudicate R&D direction with the vendor; what warrants NRE investment, what is technically unviable, what we buy versus co-develop.
• May lead a ZR-800G-class coherent transceiver NRE with the optical terminal.
• Maintain compliance with applicable standards, including CCSDS O3K and SDA OCT where relevant to federal programs.

Job description

About Apolink

Apolink is building the first-ever backward-compatible data relay constellation in low Earth orbit. By enabling efficient data aggregation and relay through our hybrid RF-optical inter-satellite link (ISL) architecture, we support scalable and resilient space infrastructure across commercial, federal, and defense applications.

About The Role

The Chief Engineer (Optical) is the company’s technical lead for optical communications across our LEO data relay constellation. They own the optical architecture, requirements, link design, and verification, and lead technical decisions with our optical terminal vendor. The vendor handles terminal manufacturing, while this role remains hands‑on with analysis, integration, and testing. This is a sole-contributor leadership role.

Responsibilities

• Own optical ISL and feeder-link architecture: wavelength plan, modulation and coding, aperture and divergence sizing, data rate vs range tradespace.

• Develop and maintain end-to-end optical link budgets, including coherent receiver sensitivity, PAT margin, platform jitter, point-ahead, Doppler, stray light, fade statistics, and BER against realistic FEC.

• Author optical requirements and ICDs, and manage flowdown to the vendor and to internal bus, flight software, and ground teams.

• Direct the vendor technically: down-select, diligence, SOW and NRE scoping, design review participation, and accountability for performance and schedule.

• Adjudicate R&D direction with the vendor; what warrants NRE investment, what is technically unviable, what we buy versus co-develop.

• May lead a ZR-800G-class coherent transceiver NRE with the optical terminal.

• Maintain compliance with applicable standards, including CCSDS O3K and SDA OCT where relevant to federal programs.

Qualifications

• Direct, hands‑on experience with LEO-LEO optical inter-satellite links: designing, building, or verifying crosslink terminals between spacecraft in low Earth orbit.

• 6+ years in free-space optical communications, coherent optical transport, or spaceborne photonics.

• MS or PhD in optics, EE, or physics, or equivalent demonstrated depth.

• Demonstrated experience directing vendor technical performance and NRE programs.

• Capacity to exercise independent technical judgment as the sole optical authority and be accountable for it.

Preferred

• Direct experience with 400ZR, 800ZR, OpenZR+, or OIF coherent pluggables.

• Flight heritage on an optical comms payload.

Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Meaningful early-stage equity
• Opportunity to own optical for a constellation end to end
• Medical, dental, vision, 401(k), relocation assistance
• Salary: $180,000-$220,000

Additional Information

To conform to the U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Apolink is an equal opportunity employer. All applicants will be considered for employment without attention to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran or disability status.