Senior Optical Design Engineer

RTX (Raytheon); McKinney (TX); On-site; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Job summary

RTX, the world’s largest aerospace and defense company, seeks an experienced Optical Engineer for the McKinney, TX site. The role designs, tests, and integrates precision EO/IR and laser systems, supporting both airborne and ground-based platforms.

You will apply optical design and tolerancing principles, work with CREO for mechanical interfaces, and collaborate with vendors. Onsite responsibilities include project coordination and design validation in a secure environment.

Qualifications

• Typically requires a STEM degree and 5+ years of relevant experience, or an advanced degree with 3+ years of experience.
• Experience with optical design and analysis software (CodeV, Zemax OpticStudio), including macros/scripts.
• Experience with optical alignment, testing, and manufacturing methods, including cleanroom environments.
• Experience with EO/IR/laser system integration, troubleshooting, and laser characterization (beam quality, wavefront error, noise).

Responsibilities

• Design, test, and deliver product capabilities for precision EO/IR and High Energy Laser systems.
• Support design, analysis, and development of airborne and ground-based imagers and laser systems.
• Apply optical design, tolerancing, and performance analysis to develop new capabilities.
• Create optical drawings and collaborate with vendors for components.
• Manage small to moderate projects including planning and documentation.

Skills

Optical design

Zemax CodeV

Optical alignment

EO/IR systems

Laser characterization

MATLAB or Python

Education

STEM degree

Advanced optics degree

Tools

CREO

Job description

At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world's most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Raytheon brings the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today's mission and stay ahead of tomorrow's threat. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedom and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

The Airborne & Ground Optics Department at Raytheon supports our customers' missions by providing advanced Electro-Optical / Infrared (EO/IR) and Laser products and solutions. Our organization helps drive the success of Raytheon's programs across all phases of the product lifecycle, from initial concept through design, development, integration, production and sell-off.

This is an onsite position located in our McKinney, TX location.

U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements: The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required. U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance.

Security Clearance Type: DoD Clearance: Secret

Security Clearance Status: Active and existing security clearance required after day 1

What You Will Do

• Design, test, and deliver product capabilities for precision EO/IR and High Energy Laser systems which provide situational awareness and a tactical advantage for our customers.
• Apply your knowledge and experience in optical design to support the design, analysis, and development of advanced airborne and ground-based imagers, passive and active electro-optical infrared systems, high energy lasers, LADARs, and specialized test equipment.
• Apply the principles of optical design, tolerancing, and performance analysis to support the development of new advanced capabilities within these domains.
• Create optical drawings and collaborate with vendors for custom components.
• Occasionally manage small to moderate projects, including planning, scheduling, documentation, and communication of progress.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 5 years of prior relevant experience or an advanced degree in a related field and minimum 3 years' experience.
• Experience with optical design and analysis software (e.g., CodeV, Zemax OpticStudio), including experience developing macros or scripts.
• Experience with optical alignment, testing, and manufacturing methods, including component inspection, cleaning, bonding, and use of cleanroom environments.
• Experience with EO/IR/laser system integration, troubleshooting, and laser characterization (beam quality, wavefront error, noise).

Qualifications We Prefer

• An advanced degree in Optics Sciences or Optics Engineering.
• Experience in a customer-facing role.
• Experience writing test, assembly, and calibration procedures.
• Experience writing and portion marking classified documents in a proprietary environment.
• Experience with structural, thermal, and optical performance modeling and analysis.
• Experience with opto-mechanical tolerancing.
• Experience with nonsequential optical analysis.
• Experience modeling optomechanical systems in CREO.
• Familiarity with mechanical design processes.
• Experience working with high-power lasers.
• Proficiency in a scientific programming language such as MATLAB or Python.

What We Offer

A total rewards package that goes above and beyond with compensation; healthcare, wellness, and work/life benefits; career development and recognition programs. Some of the benefits we offer include parental (including paternal) leave, flexible work schedules, achievement awards, educational assistance and child/adult backup care.

Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation, and Safety.

Relocation assistance available.

Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.

This position requires onsite work in McKinney, TX: North Texas: https://careers.rtx.com/global/en/raytheon-north-texas-location

This position requires security clearance. DCSA Consolidated Adjudication Services (DCSA CAS), an agency of the Department of Defense