Principal Optical Engineer: Free‑Space Navigation Sensor

United States Digital Space LLC; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 190,000 - 285,000; Full time

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC seeks a Principal Optical Engineer to own free-space optical system design for a visible camera and infrared navigation sensor. You will set the system vision, lead optics, detectors, boards, and enclosures capable of withstanding space conditions and high-volume production.

You will mentor engineers, run architecture trades, validate hardware, and define processes while collaborating with software, automation, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field.
• 8+ years hands-on optics/photonics/imaging or related design/testing.
• 8+ years in a programming language (C++, MATLAB, Python).

Responsibilities

• Drive product vision and system-level architecture for visible camera and IR sensor.
• Apply optics/photonics to design, analysis, and validation.
• Define requirements for high-performance optical/IR sensors in harsh environments.
• Lead optical architecture through trades, ops concepts, and risk testing.
• Drive trades across optical, IR, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing constraints.
• Mentor engineers; review designs and raise technical standards.
• Interface with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure producibility.
• Perform environmental qualification, performance characterization, and reliability testing.

Skills

Optical engineering

Photonics

Imaging

IR sensing

C++

Python

MATLAB

Systems engineering

Leadership / mentoring

Risk analysis

Education

Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering discipline

Tools

Zemax

Interferometer

Power meters

Oscilloscopes

Job description

United States Digital Space LLC seeks a Principal Optical Engineer to own free-space optical system design for a visible camera and infrared navigation sensor. You will set the system vision, lead optics, detectors, boards, and enclosures capable of withstanding space conditions and high-volume production.

You will mentor engineers, run architecture trades, validate hardware, and define processes while collaborating with software, automation, manufacturing, and supply chain teams to ensure