PAT Optical Engineer – Space Laser Beam Control

Star Catcher; Jacksonville (FL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

Star Catcher in Jacksonville, FL is hiring an Optical Engineer for Pointing, Acquisition & Tracking (PAT) Optics to support space-to-space power beaming and the Star Catcher Network.

You will design the PAT optical architecture, develop LOS pointing and jitter budgets, and co-own interfaces with EE control engineers, while shaping calibration, boresight maintenance, and on-orbit alignment plans. A Bachelor's degree and 3+ years in pointing/tracking are required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical discipline.
• 3+ years of professional experience in pointing and tracking, beam control, or free-space laser systems; candidates with more experience are preferred.
• Hands-on experience with FSMs, quadrant detectors or position-sensing detectors, and focal-plane tracking sensors.

Responsibilities

• Design the optical architecture of the pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) system, including fast steering mirrors (FSMs), tracking sensors, beam splitters, boresight paths, and calibration sources.
• Develop line-of-sight pointing and jitter budgets and track budget closure through test.
• Design tracking-sensor optics for acquisition and fine tracking, including return-based tracking of non-cooperative targets.
• Define transmit/receive boresight alignment, calibration, and on-orbit maintenance approaches.
• Specify and select FSMs and coarse-pointing optics; define pupil conjugation and optical gain.
• Model tracking-sensor response and work with controls engineers on loop design and sensor requirements.
• Own the optical side of the closed PAT loops and calibrate loop gain; support loop closure on testbeds.
• Plan and run PAT optical testing, including closed-loop tracking testbeds and boresight verification.

Job description

Star Catcher in Jacksonville, FL is hiring an Optical Engineer for Pointing, Acquisition & Tracking (PAT) Optics to support space-to-space power beaming and the Star Catcher Network.

You will design the PAT optical architecture, develop LOS pointing and jitter budgets, and co-own interfaces with EE control engineers, while shaping calibration, boresight maintenance, and on-orbit alignment plans. A Bachelor's degree and 3+ years in pointing/tracking are required.