Lead Optical Engineer — Free-Space & IR Navigation

Future Ventures; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) retirement plan

Medical, vision, dental coverage

Paid vacation and holidays

Job summary

SpaceX is seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to own free-space optical system design for a navigation sensor combining a visible camera and infrared sensing. You will set the system vision, lead optics, detectors, boards, and enclosures to survive space environment and support high-rate manufacturing.

You will mentor engineers, analyze and troubleshoot optical/electronic assemblies, define processes, and collaborate with software teams to enable automated testing and mission-critical navigation

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field.
• 5+ years hands-on optics/photonics/IR sensing or related design/testing experience.
• 5+ years programming experience (C++, MATLAB, or Python).

Responsibilities

• Drive product vision and system-level architecture for a visible-camera and IR navigation sensor.
• Apply optics and photonics knowledge to optical system development, including design, analysis, and validation.
• Define requirements for high-performance optical/IR navigation sensors in challenging environments.
• Lead optical architecture definition through trade studies and risk-reduction testing.
• Drive detailed trades across optical, IR, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing constraints for high-volume production.
• Design next-generation optical/IR sensor hardware for high-rate manufacturing.
• Mentor engineers; review designs and raise technical standards.
• Interface with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure design manufacturability.
• Perform and oversee verification testing including environmental qualification and reliability testing.
• Define and lead field testing of optical experiments and navigation sensor systems.
• Review test data and lead anomaly investigations.
• Own performance budgets, specifications, and system capabilities data.
• Collaborate with software and automation teams to develop testing tools and protocols.
• Communicate technical direction, risks, and recommendations to leadership.

Skills

Optics & photonics

System-level design

Mentoring engineers

Engineering leadership

Python scripting

C++

MATLAB

Education

Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field

Master’s degree or PhD in physics or engineering

Tools

Zemax

Interferometer

Power meters

Oscilloscopes

Job description

SpaceX is seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to own free-space optical system design for a navigation sensor combining a visible camera and infrared sensing. You will set the system vision, lead optics, detectors, boards, and enclosures to survive space environment and support high-rate manufacturing.

You will mentor engineers, analyze and troubleshoot optical/electronic assemblies, define processes, and collaborate with software teams to enable automated testing and mission-critical navigation