Senior Optical Engineer — Space Navigation Sensors

United States Digital Space LLC; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 165,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Stock options

Medical, vision, dental

401(k)

Paid vacation + holidays

Job summary

United States Digital Space LLC in Hawthorne, CA, is seeking a Senior Optical Engineer (STARFALL) to own free-space optical design for a visible camera and IR navigation sensor, setting system-level vision and ensuring manufacturability at high rate.

You will lead optics, detectors, circuits, and precision mechanisms, mentor engineers, perform verification and field testing, and collaborate with software teams to enable automated testing.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics or related field.
• 5+ years hands-on optics/photonics/imaging or IR sensing experience.
• 5+ years programming in C++, MATLAB or Python.

Responsibilities

• Drive product vision and system-level architecture for visible-camera + IR sensor.
• Lead optics design, analysis, validation, and environmental qualification.
• Mentor engineers and lead technical reviews to raise the team's standard.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain for high-volume production.
• Perform and oversee verification testing, and lead field experiments.

Skills

Optical engineering

Photonics

Imaging systems

IR sensing

Programming (C++, MATLAB, Python)

Education

Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering/physics

Master’s or PhD in physics or engineering (preferred)

Tools

Zemax

Interferometer

Power meters

Job description

United States Digital Space LLC in Hawthorne, CA, is seeking a Senior Optical Engineer (STARFALL) to own free-space optical design for a visible camera and IR navigation sensor, setting system-level vision and ensuring manufacturability at high rate.

You will lead optics, detectors, circuits, and precision mechanisms, mentor engineers, perform verification and field testing, and collaborate with software teams to enable automated testing.