Optical Engineer, Design & Architecture

Optical Engineer

The Imaging team at Anduril is seeking an Optical Engineer to focus on design and architecture in support of an expanding and maturing product line at a transition point from prototyping to maturity.

What You'll Do:

• Lead architecture decisions, optical trades for novel optical systems for broadly defined missions
• Design lenses and optical components for high performance imaging systems
• Understand and define optical performance requirements given multi-disciplinary engineering constraints
• Transition a high TRL prototype optical assembly to a production fieldable system.
• Design and tolerance complex visible to infrared optical systems to meet performance requirements for ground & airborne applications
• Develop and review test setups, procedures, and data to transition products and systems from R&D to production
• Evaluate and analyze prototype and production optical system performance errors to determine root cause
• Work independently and collaborate with senior staff and leadership to solve interdisciplinary technical problems by serving as the Optical Engineering subject matter expert

Required Qualifications:

• BS in Engineering or Physics/Astronomy required with a concentration in Optics
• MS or PhD preferred, but not required
• 5+ years of experience with complex opto-mechanical systems, performing optical system design, analysis, alignment and test in the workforce
• Experience building LIDAR, laser communications, or adaptive optics systems, with a strong understanding of pointing, acquisition, and tracking.
• Expertise with optical design and analysis software, preferably Zemax or CodeV
• Experience with STOP (Structural, Thermal, and Optical Performance) analysis
• Knowledge of image quality metrics and data analysis methods
• Experience with the design of diffraction limited imaging systems in dynamic environments
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• Demonstrated first principles approach to complex opto-mechanical problems
• Optical component testing experience (spectral transmission, interferometry, etc.), optical system alignment and testing (EE, MTF, PSF, etc.), and opto-electrical system modeling
• Demonstrated experience in the integration, test, and performance requirements verification and validation of optical systems
• Experience with radiometry and stray light analysis
• Demonstrated team leadership experience and mentoring of junior staff
• Knowledge of common materials used in optical systems and limitations of fabrication methods of optics (molded, polished, diamond turned) as well as micro structures

US Salary Range $143,000 —$191,000 USD