Staff Optical Engineer - 5

0902 SP - Launch Vehicles; United States; On-site; USD 168,000 - 252,000; Full time

Job summary

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a Staff Optical Engineer in Chandler, AZ to lead optical design for imaging and sensing systems from concept to flight hardware. You will own system-level performance, develop budgets, and guide optomechanical integration while collaborating across engineering teams.

The role emphasizes leadership, tool development, and collaboration with structural/thermal analyses to ensure optical performance across the full mission profile.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering from an accredited university.
• Active DoD Secret clearance at time of application.
• Experience with optical imaging/sensing systems and system-level performance ownership.
• Proficiency with optical modeling tools (ZEMAX, Code V, FRED) and CAD tools (CREO/NX/SolidWorks).
• Ability to independently develop technical approaches and drive tasks to completion.

Responsibilities

• Lead and analyze optical systems for imaging and sensing applications, including refractive/reflective optics and tolerancing.
• Develop and maintain optical error budgets across environments and operations.
• Guide SILOS analysis with structural/thermal teams to preserve optical performance.
• Define and allocate optical requirements from system to component levels; ensure manufacturability and testability.
• Lead reviews and mentor engineers in optical design, analysis, and problem solving.

Skills

Optical engineering

Technical leadership

System-level ownership

Technical communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering/Physics/Mechanical/Electrical

Master’s degree preferred

Tools

ZEMAX

Code V

FRED

CREO

NX

SolidWorks

ANSYS

Job description

RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be available CLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: Yes CLEARANCE TYPE: Secret TRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the Time

At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history. At Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.

Northrop Grumman Space Systems is looking for a Staff Optical Engineer to support the Electro‑Optics Group within the Launch Vehicles business unit in Chandler, Arizona. You will work as part of a multi‑disciplinary seeker engineering team responsible for optical design, analysis, integration, and test of development and flight hardware. The role is centered on optical engineering for imaging and sensing systems (visible through LWIR), with an emphasis on how opto‑mechanical design and environments drive optical performance. At the staff level, you will provide technical leadership, develop and implement new tools and methods, and ensure system‑level performance across the full mission profile.

Responsibilities

• Lead and contribute to the design and analysis of optical systems for imaging and sensing applications (e.g., refractive/reflective optics, relay optics, athermalized systems, objective lenses).
• Perform and own optical performance analyses (e.g., wavefront error, MTF, line of sight (LOS) stability, boresight, sensitivity, and tolerancing) across expected environmental and operational conditions, with a high degree of self-checking.
• Develop and maintain optical error budgets, including contributions from alignment, manufacturing tolerances, thermal and structural effects, and line of sight stability; review others’ work for accuracy and consistency.
• Perform and guide Structurally Induced Line of Sight (SILOS) analysis in collaboration with structural and thermal analysts to ensure optical performance is maintained through the full mission profile; drive system level solutions to optical structural thermal interactions.
• Define and allocate optical requirements and tolerances at the system, subsystem, and component levels; flow requirements to optomechanical design, manufacturing, and test, ensuring system level compliance.
• Collaborate closely with opto‑mechanical, systems, electrical, and manufacturing engineers to ensure that optical designs are realizable, producible, and testable, and support system level trade studies and design optimization.
• Guide and review the development of optomechanical designs (mounts, cells, structures) that support optical alignment, stability, and environmental robustness; develop or refine methods and tools to improve robustness and efficiency.
• Support and sometimes lead laboratory and environmental test activities, including optical alignment, calibration, performance verification, and correlation of analysis to test (vibration, thermal, shock, etc.).
• Participate in and frequently lead design reviews (internal and customer), presenting optical design concepts, analyses, error budgets, and test results to stakeholders; serve as a subject matter expert for optical performance.
• Provide technical leadership, mentoring, and guidance to early and mid-career engineers in optical design, analysis, and problem solving.
• Drive continuous improvement and innovation, including development and implementation of new tools, methods, and processes to improve optical design quality, efficiency, and robustness.
• Assist with and often lead troubleshooting, root cause analysis, and design updates for prototype and production hardware when optical performance issues are identified, including system level investigations.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline from an accredited university and 12 years of relevant experience; or a Master’s degree and 10 years of experience; or a PhD and 8 years of experience.
• Active U.S. Government Department of Defense (DoD) Secret security clearance at time of application.
• Demonstrated experience with optical systems used in imaging, sensing, or seeker applications; including system-level performance ownership.
• Experience with optical performance analysis and an understanding of how structural and thermal environments affect imaging quality and line of sight (e.g., STOP/SILOS concepts).
• Proficiency with optical modeling tools (e.g., ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, or equivalent) for design, analysis, and tolerancing.
• Experience with 3D CAD tools (e.g., CREO, NX, SolidWorks) to interface effectively with opto‑mechanical designs; ANSYS Mechanical experience preferred.
• Experience with optical imaging systems in one or more spectral bands (e.g., visible, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, LWIR).
• Demonstrated ability to independently determine and develop technical approaches and solutions, complete complex tasks with minimal oversight, and drive tasks to completion.
• Strong technical communication skills, including the ability to generate clear documentation and present optical design/analysis results to technical and non‑technical audiences, and to represent the organization in technical discussions with customers.

Preferred Qualifications

• MS or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or Mechanical Engineering with a focus on optical systems.
• Previous experience with DoD missile defense or seeker programs, including familiarity with performance verification frameworks, environmental qualification, and flight test correlation.
• Hands‑on experience with STOP and SILOS modeling workflows and integration of structural/thermal results with optical design tools.
• Experience with DoD missile defense programs and associated standards pertaining to missile systems, seeker systems, or other high‑reliability environmentally challenging electro‑optical applications.
• Deep experience with EO systems, including optical design, analysis and tolerancing, stray light control, error budgets, radiometric budgets, opto‑mechanical design, and focal plane technologies.
• Demonstrated experience leading optical and environmental test campaigns and correlating measured optical performance to predictive analyses.
• Experience serving as a subject matter expert and/or technical lead across functional teams, including mentoring, technical review, and cross discipline coordination.

Primary Level Salary Range: $168,200.00 - $252,200.00

The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions. Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.

The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.

Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO.

U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions with a government clearance and certain other restricted positions.

We are a pioneering company. With careers across all areas: air, cyber, land, sea and space - our 90,000 employees work as one to defend and define the future.

Northrop Grumman careers and internships are as varied as your interests, with a lifetime of potential that will give you every opportunity to do your best work. Working together with people from many backgrounds, personal passions and disciplines, we share a drive to push the boundaries of science, technology and engineering to meet the ever evolving needs of our customers worldwide.