Optical Engineer

Description

SAIC is seeking a senior Multi-Disciplinary Optical Engineer to join the Space and Intelligence Business Group. You would work on a joint Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) crown jewel program providing highly specialized space/counter-space engineering, scientific, and analytical services from Aurora/Denver, Colorado. We support the Nation’s leading-edge IC and DoD space programs and offer compelling, deep-technical work that has direct influence and impact on program development and operations.

Our team has Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across a variety of disciplines, including physics, math, RF, optics, space acquisition and operations, and intelligence collection and analysis.

The Senior Optical Project Engineer will work in a collaborative team-focused environment of U.S. Government civilians and contractors solving applied technical problems and developing usable solutions for multiple space-related capabilities and threats. The ideal candidate will:

Have knowledge and experience with the performance of:

• Ground or space-based optical or laser systems, the fields of photonics or optoelectronics, space object optical characterization, or optical data processing techniques
• Optical systems in Space Domain Awareness (SDA) applications
• Be able to lead, track, and status projects for a small team of optical engineers focused on program-specific analysis, foreign threat capabilities and development, and phenomenology research
• Have experience generating new satellite models or adapting existing mission partner models for on-orbit simulation scenarios
• Be fluent with the synthesis and application of space object optical signatures, electro-optical
• (EO) sensor models, lighting and environmental effects to simulate the space object detection, feature discrimination, and/or characterization by space domain awareness (SDA) systems
• Be able to design, develop, and quantify results for satellite simulations that accurately represent the system state and have familiarity with post-processing techniques of optical sensor data that extract additional insights or translate the data into operationally relevant information
• Possess knowledge of optical systems and their use in SDA
• Have experience with modeling and simulation of optical and laser systems such as LEEDR, Hard Shell or Helios
• Be motivated by problem solving and developing a range of solutions, over system development

This position qualifies for enhanced benefits.

• Lead a team of optical engineers and analysts in Perform program-specific analyses, understand foreign threat capabilities and development, and conduct optical and laser phenomenology research
• Perform rapid prototyping of optical modeling and simulation tools of various fidelities
• Designing and editing satellite models and optical simulations to inform analyses and trade studies related to operational scenarios
• Developing estimates of space object optical signatures using physics-based methods or via similarity to existing data
• Developing and refining innovative concepts for space laser systems and architectures, knowledge of advanced engineering principles and state-of-the-art technology.
• System CONOPS, considering operational trade-offs, environmental effects, and mission requirements
• Conducting detailed assessments and analysis of space laser system performance, focusing on rigorous link budget modeling, system efficiencies, and platform-specific trade-offs.
• Ability to conduct link budget analysis, considering various system and operational parameters. Evaluate the impacts of different modulation techniques, laser architectures, and photonics technologies on overall system performance.
• Simulating SDA data of space objects that represent the sensor system’s spatial, spectral, and other capabilities under representative seeing conditions
• Quantifying impacts and sensitivity to changes in Concepts of Operations (CONOPS), scenarios and/or threats
• Developing and briefing analytical results for stand-alone and broader assessment products
• Achieving detailed understanding of multiple satellite systems, designs, operations, and classifications…