Principle Optical Engineer & Electro-Optical Lead - Directed Energy
Job in
Knoxville, Knox County, Tennessee, 37902, USA
Listed on 2026-06-19
Listing for:
Huntington Ingalls Industries
Full Time, Seasonal/Temporary
position Listed on 2026-06-19
Job specializations:
-
Engineering
Systems Engineer, Electrical Engineering, Electronics Engineer
Job Description & How to Apply Below
Requisition Number: 29019
Required Travel: 0 - 10%
Employment Type:
Full Time/Salaried/Exempt
Anticipated Salary Range: $ - $
Security Clearance:
Ability to Obtain
Level of
Experience:
Senior
This opportunity resides with Warfare Systems (WS), a business group within HII's Mission Technologies division. Warfare Systems comprises cyber and mission IT; electronic warfare; and C5
ISR systems.
HII works within our nation's intelligence and cyber operations communities to defend our interests in cyberspace and anticipate emerging threats. Our capabilities in cybersecurity, network architecture, reverse engineering, software and hardware development uniquely enable us to support sensitive missions for the U.S. military and federal agency partners.
Leadership at HII - Mission Technologies
HII's Leadership Capability Framework defines the standard of excellence expected of all leaders across Mission Technologies. Leaders are accountable for modeling these capabilities and building them within their teams:
* Know & Grow Your People - Develop talent, empower teams, and build an inclusive environment.
* Build Relationships - Strengthen trust, collaboration, and cross-functional partnerships.
* Take Ownership - Drive accountability, execution excellence, and results.
* Customer First - Anticipate mission needs and deliver value to our partners.
* Shape the Future - Inspire innovation and align work with strategic priorities.
* Act with Urgency - Make informed decisions and move with purpose.
These capabilities define how leaders inspire teams, deliver results, and shape the future of Mission
Job Description
HII, Mission Technologies has an opportunity available for a Lead Electro-Optical Engineer located in Knoxville, TN.
The Lead Electro-Optical Engineer will lead and direct the design, development, and integration of advanced electro-optical and infrared (EO-IR) systems that support high-energy laser and high-power microwave directed energy platforms. This role ensures that optical designs-including beam control systems, optical assemblies, stray light mitigation, precision alignment, and laser propagation systems-translate into safe, functional, and production-ready hardware that meets stringent performance, reliability, and safety requirements.
The ideal candidate will excel at optical systems design and analysis, demonstrate leadership in collaborative multidisciplinary environments, and thrive when developing solutions with incomplete or evolving requirements typical of advanced defense programs.
Levei 4 - Principle Optical Engineer & Electro-Optical Lead - Directed Energy - $120,000 - $185,000
Level 5 - Principle Optical Engineer & Electro-Optical Lead - Directed Energy - $140,000 - $220,000
Essential
Job Responsibilities
Design & Engineering Leadership
* Lead optical systems design for beam control, laser delivery, optical assemblies, precision optical mounts, and EO-IR sensor integration critical to directed energy platforms.
* Direct design efforts for high-power laser systems, beam steering mechanisms, stray light control, and thermal management of optical components.
* Contribute to and influence overall product design for directed energy weapon systems.
* Translate requirements into detailed optical designs using Zemax, Code V, or similar optical design software.
* Perform and oversee optical analysis including ray tracing, stray light modeling, wavefront error analysis, thermal effects, and laser propagation.
* Support and oversee fabrication, assembly, alignment, and testing of optical systems and prototypes.
* Mentor and develop junior engineers, providing guidance on technical and professional growth.
Multidisciplinary Collaboration & Systems Integration
* Lead collaboration with multidisciplinary teams (mechanical, electrical, systems engineering) to develop innovative solutions and influence product architecture.
* Negotiate design characteristics among engineers, suppliers, customers, and program management.
* Interface with manufacturing to optimize optical designs for fabrication and assembly.
* Support fabrication, testing, and validation efforts to ensure systems meet…
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