Principal Optical Engineer - 3

Northrop Grumman; Chandler (AZ); On-site; USD 108,200 - 162,400; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Life and disability insurance

Savings plan

Company paid holidays and PTO

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems in Chandler, AZ is seeking a Principal Optical Engineer to lead optical design for imaging and sensing systems. The role emphasizes opto‑mechanical integration, environmental robustness, and collaboration across engineering teams within the Launch Vehicles unit.

The successful candidate will manage optical requirements, tolerance allocations, and documentation, while guiding CAD models and test activities to ensure mission success under challenging conditions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s or higher degree in a technical field with relevant optical experience.
• Active U.S. Government Secret clearance at time of application.
• Experience with imaging/sensing/ seeker optical systems.
• Understanding of how structural/thermal environments affect imaging quality and LOS.
• Proficiency with optical modeling and CAD tools.

Responsibilities

• Design and analyze optical systems for imaging and sensing applications.
• Perform optical performance analyses (MTF, LOS stability, tolerancing).
• Develop optical error budgets considering alignment, manufacturing, thermal effects.
• Collaborate with opto-mechanical, systems, electrical, and manufacturing engineers.
• Support laboratory and environmental test activities (alignment, calibration, verification).
• Participate in design reviews and present analyses and test results.
• Troubleshoot and update designs based on test data.

Skills

Optical design

Imaging systems

Tolerancing

Wavefront analysis

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering/Physics/Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Optical Engineering/Physics/Mechanical Engineering

PhD in Optical Engineering or related field (preferred)

Tools

ZEMAX

Code V

FRED

Creo

NX

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available
CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes
CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret
TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time
Description
At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work — and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they\'re making history.
Northrop Grumman Space Systems is looking for a Principal Optical Engineer to support the Electro‑Optics Group within the Launch Vehicles business unit in Chandler, Arizona.
You will work as part of a multi‑disciplinary seeker engineering team responsible for optical design, analysis, integration, and test of development and flight hardware. The role is centered on optical engineering for imaging and sensing systems (visible through LWIR), with an emphasis on how opto‑mechanical design and environments drive optical performance.
Responsibilities

• Contribute to the design and analysis of optical systems for imaging and sensing applications (e.g., refractive/reflective optics, relay optics, athermalized systems, objective lenses).
• Perform optical performance analyses (e.g., wavefront error, MTF, line‑of‑sight (LOS) stability, boresight, sensitivity, and tolerancing) across expected environmental and operational conditions.
• Develop and maintain optical error budgets, including contributions from alignment, manufacturing tolerances, thermal and structural effects, and line‑of‑sight stability.
• Perform Structurally Induced Line of Sight (SILOS) analysis in collaboration with structural and thermal analysts to ensure optical performance is maintained through the full mission profile.
• Define optical requirements and allocate tolerances at the system, subsystem, and component levels; flow requirements to optomechanical design and manufacturing.
• Collaborate closely with opto‑mechanical, systems, electrical, and manufacturing engineers to ensure that optical designs are realizable, producible, and testable.
• Guide and review the development of optomechanical designs (mounts, cells, structures) that support optical alignment, stability, and environmental robustness.
• Develop and review parametric 3D CAD models, detailed drawings, and associated documentation that fully capture opto‑mechanical requirements and constraints.
• Support and sometimes lead laboratory and environmental test activities, including optical alignment, calibration, performance verification, and correlation of analysis to test (vibration, thermal, shock, etc.).
• Participate in design reviews (internal and customer), presenting optical design concepts, analyses, error budgets, and test results to stakeholders.
• Assist with troubleshooting, root‑cause analysis, and design updates for prototype and production hardware when optical performance issues are identified.
  

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of relevant experience; or a Master’s degree and 3 years of experience; or a PhD and 1 year of experience.
• Active U.S. Government - Secret security clearance at time of application.
• Demonstrated experience with optical systems used in imaging, sensing, or seeker applications (may include internships, projects, or early‑career roles).
• Experience with optical performance analysis and an understanding of how structural and thermal environments affect imaging quality and line of sight (e.g., STOP/SILOS concepts).
• Proficiency with optical modeling tools (e.g., ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, or equivalent) for design, analysis, and tolerancing.
• Experience with 3D CAD tools (e.g., CREO, NX, SolidWorks) to interface effectively with opto‑mechanical designs; ANSYS Mechanical experience preferred.
• Experience with optical imaging systems in one or more spectral bands (e.g., visible, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, LWIR).
• Demonstrated problem‑solving skills for complex optical/optomechanical challenges in a project environment.
• Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to generate clear documentation and present optical design/analysis results to technical and non‑technical audiences.
  

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or Mechanical Engineering with a focus on optical systems.
• Previous experience with DoD missile defense or seeker programs, including familiarity with performance verification frameworks, environmental qualification, and flight test correlation.
• Hands‑on experience with STOP and SILOS modeling workflows and integration of structural/thermal results with optical design tools.
• Experience with missile systems, seeker systems, or other high‑reliability, environmentally challenging electro‑optical applications.
• Previous experience or knowledge of DoD missile defense programs and associated standards.
• Deep experience with EO systems, including optical design, analysis and tolerancing, stray‑light control, error budgets, radiometric budgets, opto‑mechanical design, and focal plane technologies.
• Proficiency with optical design tools such as ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, and mechanical/optomechanical CAD tools such as NX and SolidWorks.
• Experience planning and executing optical and environmental test campaigns and correlating measured optical performance to predictive analyses.
  

Primary Level Salary Range: $108,200.00 - $162,400.00
The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.
Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.
The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.
Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.