Senior Optical Architect for Free-Space Navigation Sensor

SPACE EXPLORATION TECHNOLOGIES CORP; Hawthorne, Northern (CA, KY); Hybrid; USD 190,000 - 285,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical coverage

Vision coverage

Dental coverage

401(k) retirement plan

Paid parental leave

3 weeks vacation + 10+ holidays

Job summary

SpaceX seeks a Principal Optical Engineer to own free‑space optical system design, validation, and operation for a navigation sensor combining a visible camera and infrared sensing. You will set the system vision, lead optics and detectors design, and ensure manufacturability for high‑rate production.

You will mentor engineers, define processes, and collaborate with software, hardware, and manufacturing teams to advance mission‑critical navigation systems in demanding environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering discipline.
• 8+ years of hands‑on optics, photonics, imaging, infrared sensing, or related design/testing experience.
• 8+ years of experience in C++, MATLAB, and/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, design, analysis, and validation.
• Define requirements for high‑performance optical/IR navigation sensors in challenging environments.
• Lead optical architecture definition through internal trade studies and risk‑reduction testing.
• Drive detailed trades across optical, IR, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing constraints for high‑volume production.
• Mentor engineers; review designs and raise the technical standard of the team.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure designs can be produced.
• Perform and oversee verification testing including environmental qualification and reliability testing.

Skills

Optics design

System architecture

Python

C++

MATLAB

Mentoring

Photonic design

Education

Bachelor’s degree in optics or physics

Master’s degree in physics or engineering

PhD in physics or engineering

Tools

Zemax

FPGA

SERDES

I2C/SPI

Job description

SpaceX seeks a Principal Optical Engineer to own free‑space optical system design, validation, and operation for a navigation sensor combining a visible camera and infrared sensing. You will set the system vision, lead optics and detectors design, and ensure manufacturability for high‑rate production.

You will mentor engineers, define processes, and collaborate with software, hardware, and manufacturing teams to advance mission‑critical navigation systems in demanding environments.