Multi-Disciplinary 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
• Conduct projects 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/electro-optical (EO) signatures
• Create/understand EO sensor models, lighting and environmental effects to simulate the space object detection, feature discrimination, and/or characterization by 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.

Duties and responsibilities include:

• 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
• Design and edit satellite models and optical simulations to inform analyses and trade studies related to operational scenarios
• Develop estimates of space object optical signatures using physics-based methods or via similarity to existing data
• Develop and refine innovative concepts for space laser systems and architectures, knowledge of advanced engineering principles and state-of-the-art technology.[DO1.1]
• Create system Concept of Operations (CONOPS), considering operational trade-offs, environmental effects, and mission requirements
• Conduct detailed assessments and analysis of space laser system performance, focusing on rigorous link budget modeling, system efficiencies, and platform-specific trade-offs.[DO2.1]
• Ability to conduct link budget analysis, considering various system and operational parameters. Evaluate the impacts of different modulation techniques, and photonics technologies on overall system performance.
• Simulate SDA data of space objects that represent the sensor system’s spatial, spectral, and other capabilities under representative seeing conditions
• Qu…