Senior Optical SATCOM Engineer - Laser & Fiber Systems

AV; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 113,000 - 172,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision

401K with company matching

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AV seeks an Optical Communication Engineer to design and implement cutting‑edge SATCOM optical systems at Kirtland AFB, NM. You will plan, evaluate, and integrate hardware and software subsystems while supporting multiple complex projects in parallel.

The role demands advanced optics knowledge, experience with Zemax and CODE V, and strong skills in C/C++, Python, and MATLAB. This position requires U.S. citizenship and eligibility for security clearance.

Qualifications

• Master’s or PhD in Engineering, Optics, Photonics, Materials Science or related field.
• 5+ years of fiber-optic and laser-based optical comms experience.
• Experience with WDM/FDM and high-data-rate laser links.
• Coherent beam combining and WBC experience to scale power.
• Proficiency with Zemax and CODE V for fiber/freespace links.

Responsibilities

• Design, develop, and optimize high-power fiber laser systems and subsystems for SATCOM.
• Test laser-optics systems under simulated atmospheric conditions and turbulence.
• Model propagation paths using Zemax/CODE V and validate with hardware.
• Produce technical progress reports and system documentation for stakeholders.
• Collaborate across teams and mentor others in fast-paced projects.

Skills

fiber-optic systems

laser-based systems

C/C++

Python

MATLAB

Zemax

CODE V

interferometric diagnostics

Education

Master’s or PhD in Engineering, Optics, Photonics, Materials Science

Tools

Zemax

CODE V

Job description

AV seeks an Optical Communication Engineer to design and implement cutting‑edge SATCOM optical systems at Kirtland AFB, NM. You will plan, evaluate, and integrate hardware and software subsystems while supporting multiple complex projects in parallel.

The role demands advanced optics knowledge, experience with Zemax and CODE V, and strong skills in C/C++, Python, and MATLAB. This position requires U.S. citizenship and eligibility for security clearance.