Principal Optical Engineer

Thales Group; Billerica (MA); Hybrid; USD 146,000 - 187,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Yearly incentive

Medical insurance

401k matching

Tuition reimbursement

Paid time off

Parental leave

9/80 schedule

Hybrid work

Job summary

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. in the United States seeks a Principal Optical Engineer to lead the design and development of Head-Mounted Displays and related optical systems in the Billerica, MA office.

You will design waveguides, projectors, and intervening optics, and evaluate available COTS solutions. You will guide requirements, defend technical approaches, and test components in the lab while collaborating with vendors and customers.

Qualifications

• Minimum 8+ years in hands-on engineering with at least 6 in Optics and Optical Engineering.
• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or equivalent technology field; advanced degrees preferred.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze and build optical systems and displays, especially Head-M Mounted Displays (HMD).
• Develop optical components and evaluate COTS solutions.
• Define requirements and explore feasibility of new technologies and products.
• Lead vendor discussions and Make vs Buy decisions based on solid analysis.
• Test and characterize optical components in the lab, including waveguides.
• Serve as SME for HMD market, customer needs, and use cases across AR/AVAS/OHMD.
• Interact with customers, partners and vendors at a highly technical level.
• Travel domestically and internationally as needed.

Skills

Optics & Optical Eng

Hands-on engineering

Motion tracking integration

Requirements analysis

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's in Engineering

Master's or PhD preferred

Tools

Optical test equipment

Metrology instruments

Job description

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Thales Defense & Security, Inc. (TDSI) Headquartered in Clarksburg, MD, is a U.S. company that has been serving domestic and international defense Air, Land and Sea domains for 60+ years. With over 1,000 employees, TDSI and its four subsidiaries (Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Digital Receiver Technology, Tampa Microwave, and Trusted Cyber Technologies), supports U.S. Joint Services, special operations forces and multi-national partners with a variety of communication, visualization, signal intelligence/electronic warfare, and sensor/sonar capabilities. TDSI’s key technologies include tactical handheld radios, expeditionary satellite terminals, helmet-mounted displays, optics and target recognition capability, advanced radars, undersea sensing and missile systems. Lives depend on what we do!

Top Benefits

(Subject to terms of applicable policies/plans)

• Yearly Incentive Compensation Plan
• Medical insurance for self and eligible family members
• Generous 401(k) program- up to 7% company contribution and 100% immediate vesting
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid wellness, vacation, and holiday leave
• Paid maternity, paternity, and parental leave
• 9/80 Work Schedule (every other Friday off)
• Hybrid working environment

We have an exciting opportunity for a Prinicpal Optical Engineer in our Billerica, MA office.

Responsibilities

• Design, analyze and build optical systems and display devices, specifically Head-Mounted Displays (HMD)
  • Design and develop optical components (waveguide, projector, intervening optics)
  • Investigate and evaluate available COTS solutions
  • Investigate the adaption of available COTS
  • Capture and define optical characteristics and parameters
• Develop product/development requirements and define the art of the possible
• Propose research, technology advancement, and feasibility studies with a keen interest in how to productize the resulting technologies
• Design and develop optical components of HMD (waveguide, projector, intervening optics)
  • Investigate and evaluate available COTS solutions
  • Investigate adaption of available COTS
• Analyze performance of optical components: provide and defend first order (oversimplified) calculations with stated assumptions to recommend whether a technical approach is worth further investigation (for instance in the lab)
• Test and characterize the performance of optical components (especially waveguides) in the lab
  • Evaluate vendor/partner samples
  • Evaluate prototype designs
  • Perform competitive comparisons
  • Debug and resolve any problems with current displays
• Serve as lead engineer and SME by understanding the Head-Mounted Display (HMD) marketspace, its requirements, use cases, and customer needs. This includes:
  • Augmented Reality (AR) Displays
  • Visual Augmentation Systems (VAS) and Advanced Visual Augmentation Systems (AVAS)
  • Optical Head-Mounted Displays (OHMD)
  • Optical See-Through (OST) systems
  • Computer-generated Imagery (CGI), live imagery, or a combination
• Serve as lead engineer and SME by understanding the various technologies, technology trends, emerging technologies, physics and math of optics, and displays fabrication and manufacturing processes.
• Serve as lead engineer and SME by understanding and applying the core components and technologies. This includes:
  • Image generation - graphics and fused sensor data for real-time interaction and situational awareness
  • Display projection – microdisplays (Micro-LED, OLED, LCoS, or Micro-LED panels)
  • Optics – lenses, prisms, and waveguides
  • Motion synchronization – IMUs and cameras to track head movement (low latency)
• Develop and maintain a network of contacts at vendors, customers, and industry working groups
  • Attend and participate as subject matter expert in relevant conferences and symposia
• Provide technical support and expertise on proposals, bid efforts and customer interactions
• Interact with customers, partners and vendors at a very technical level
• Generate Make vs Buy recommendations based on solid analysis and market studies
• Manage and influence vendors to successful conclusions, including providing milestones for evaluating next direction, and cutting bait if such evaluation finds no promising direction
• Operate without close supervision, which probably means turning an open-ended problem into a course of action and then following it to an actionable conclusion
  • This means both avoiding rabbit holes and politely avoiding accepting too many assignments or assignments with insufficient time, money, or probability of success
• Perform as an integral member of the HMD team interacting on a regular basis with inter/intra-company disciplines including engineering, contracts, programs management, business development, and manufacturing
• Some domestic and international travel to vendors, customers, and conferences
• By example, set the standards that embody the TDSI Core Value and Thales Leadership Model

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• U.S. Citizenship required. - Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.
• Minimum of Bachelor’s in engineering or equivalent technology field, master’s or PhD preferred
• 8+ years’ experience in hands on engineering role; with at least 6 dedicated to Optics and Optical Engineering
• Proficiency with a variety of optical test and metrology equipment an instruments
  • Must be hands‑on in laboratory
• Experience with motion tracking integration into augmented reality devices (expertise preferred)
• Excellent organizational skills and work ethic
• Knowledge of software development lifecycle
• Effective oral and written communication skills and the ability to manage multiple projects

The annualized pay range for this role is $146,151-$186,748 USD along with a target incentive compensation plan (ICP) of 5%. The pay range provided is a good faith estimate representative of the experience level for the role described above. TDSI considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

For specific questions about this job posting, candidates may contact talent acquisition at [e-mail].

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. is committed to non-discrimination as applicable under federal, state and local laws. We are an E-Verify Employer.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales Defense & Security, Inc., please call Human Resources at 240-864-7000.

22605 Gateway Center Drive
Clarksburg, Maryland 20871, United States

Phone (outside the U.S.): [phone]
Toll Free (in the U.S.): 800-258-4420