Space Optics Engineer: Power Beaming & Systems Design

Mantis Space; Albuquerque (NM); On-site; USD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Mantis Space in Albuquerque, NM is seeking a senior optical systems engineer to develop and verify architectures for space-based power beaming and advanced optical applications.

You will build and validate models using Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, and other tools; conduct tolerancing, error budgeting, and alignment analysis; collaborate with mechanical and thermal teams to predict performance across environments.

Qualifications

• Master's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field.
• 8+ years of professional experience in optical design or precision optical systems.
• 12+ years of experience preferred for Principal-level candidates.
• Demonstrated experience designing and analyzing complex optical systems using Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, ASAP or equivalent.
• Strong understanding of optical tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, alignment planning, and optical error budgeting.
• Ability to translate system-level requirements into measurable optical performance requirements and verification methods.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to explain complex optical concepts to engineers from other disciplines.

Responsibilities

• Develop, analyze, and document optical architectures and detailed designs supporting space-based power beaming and other advanced optical applications.
• Build, maintain, and validate optical models using Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, FRED, ASAP, or equivalent.
• Perform optical architecture trades involving aperture, beam quality, efficiency, packaging, manufacturability, alignment sensitivity, thermal stability, and system-level performance.
• Develop and maintain optical performance budgets, including wavefront error, beam quality, transmission, pointing sensitivity, diffraction, scattering, and other mission-relevant performance metrics.
• Perform optical tolerancing, sensitivity analysis, alignment analysis, and optical error budgeting for components, assemblies, and system-level interfaces.
• Translate mission and system requirements into optical requirements, budgets, assumptions, interfaces, and verification approaches.
• Support optomechanical design maturation by defining optical surface specifications, coatings, materials, alignment datums, interfaces, inspection criteria, and optical performance requirements.
• Collaborate with mechanical engineers on optical mounts, interfaces, precision assemblies, mechanisms, and released engineering drawings.
• Perform or support STOP, thermo-optical, structural-optical, stray light, scattering, and ghost analyses.
• Evaluate thermal gradients, structural deformation, contamination, vibration, alignment errors, and other environmental conditions on optical performance.

Education

Master's degree in Optical Engineering or related field

8+ years in optical design or systems engineering

12+ years for Principal level

Strong written and verbal communication

Ability to translate requirements into specs

Tools

Zemax OpticStudio

Code V

FRED

ASAP

Job description

Mantis Space in Albuquerque, NM is seeking a senior optical systems engineer to develop and verify architectures for space-based power beaming and advanced optical applications.

You will build and validate models using Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, and other tools; conduct tolerancing, error budgeting, and alignment analysis; collaborate with mechanical and thermal teams to predict performance across environments.