Senior Optical Engineer: Lead Telescope System Design

Aura Astronomy; Boulder (CO); Hybrid; USD 134,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Paid time off

Retirement plan contributions

Competitive salary

Job summary

The Senior Optical Engineer at Aura Astronomy will lead the design, analysis, and integration of telescope and instrument optical systems for ngGONG, shaping performance to meet stringent science requirements. Based on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, you’ll manage costs, tolerances, and alignment strategies through design reviews, interfacing with vendors and cross-disciplinary teams.

You will translate science requirements into robust specifications, drive risk reduction, and

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, or related field.
• 7–10 years of optical design, analysis, and project management experience.
• Proven experience designing complex optical systems for telescopes or scientific instruments.
• Strong analytical skills: wavefront budgeting and stray light analysis.
• Experience with optical tolerancing, alignment procedures, and verification/validation planning.
• Excellent communication with cross-disciplinary teams and vendors.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks and Zemax.

Responsibilities

• Develop DRDs for telescope and instrument assemblies with engineering team.
• Create optical interface requirements for telescope and instrument systems.
• Maintain optical specs and ISO 10110 drawings.
• Identify and manage technical risks in optical systems.
• Translate science requirements into technical optical specs.
• Collaborate with Mechanical Engineering for mounts, alignment, and calibration strategies.
• Layout, design, model, and analyze optical systems for telescopes and instruments.
• Perform wavefront budgeting and stray light analysis; develop tolerancing studies and alignment procedures.
• Serve as technical liaison to optical vendors; develop test plans for verification and validation.

Skills

Optical design

Wavefront budgeting

Tolerancing

Project management

Vendor oversight

SolidWorks

Zemax

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Astronomy, or related field

Advanced degree in Optical Engineering (asset)

Tools

SolidWorks

Zemax

Optical modeling software

Job description

The Senior Optical Engineer at Aura Astronomy will lead the design, analysis, and integration of telescope and instrument optical systems for ngGONG, shaping performance to meet stringent science requirements. Based on the University of Colorado campus in Boulder, you’ll manage costs, tolerances, and alignment strategies through design reviews, interfacing with vendors and cross-disciplinary teams.

You will translate science requirements into robust specifications, drive risk reduction, and