Space Optics Engineer: Imaging & Laser Systems

Lockheed Martin Corporation; Louisville (CO); On-site; USD 91,000 - 169,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision insurance

Flexible work schedules (e.g., 4x10)

401(k) match

Job summary

Lockheed Martin Corporation seeks an Optical Engineer to design and analyze space‑oriented optical and electro‑optical systems, from concept to flight hardware. You’ll perform modeling, alignment support, and test activities, while collaborating with senior engineers to mature designs.

You will handle tolerance analyses, STOP considerations, and documentation, with opportunities to present results in design reviews and help ensure mission success.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field (or equivalent).
• 1+ years of optical engineering experience or a Master/PhD in a related field.
• Experience with optical design or analysis (ray tracing, modeling, tolerancing).
• Understanding of wavefront, MTF, encircled energy metrics.
• Experience with MATLAB or Python for data analysis and visualization.
• Ability to document work and present results to an engineering team.
• U.S. citizenship and ability to obtain TS/SCI clearance.

Responsibilities

• Conduct optical design tasks for systems and components (lenses, mirrors, telescopes).
• Build models, analyze performance against requirements (image quality, radiometry).
• Perform tolerance and STOP analyses with engineers from other disciplines.
• Track performance against requirements and update error budgets.
• Prepare specifications and review vendor data for components.
• Support alignment, integration, testing, data collection and reduction.
• Collaborate with mechanical, thermal, stray light, and test teams.
• Document analyses and present results in reviews.

Skills

Ray tracing

Optical design modeling

MATLAB

Python

Technical presentation

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in optical engineering or physics

Master's or Ph.D. in optical engineering, physics, or related field (optional)

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

CODE V

Job description

Lockheed Martin Corporation seeks an Optical Engineer to design and analyze space‑oriented optical and electro‑optical systems, from concept to flight hardware. You’ll perform modeling, alignment support, and test activities, while collaborating with senior engineers to mature designs.

You will handle tolerance analyses, STOP considerations, and documentation, with opportunities to present results in design reviews and help ensure mission success.