Optical Systems Engineer

Overview

The Systems Engineering Group will hire a highly qualified Optical Systems Engineer to develop and maintain Natural Seeing/Ground Layer Adaptive Optics (NS/GLAO) technical budgets and requirements relevant to the optical performance of the Giant Magellan Telescope (GMT). Under minimal supervision and reporting to the Project Systems Engineer, the Optical Systems Engineer will prepare and maintain observatory level requirements and technical budgets including the allocation of requirements to subsystems and components, and monitor and evaluate the predicted performance of the Observatory during the design and construction phases.

S/he will maintain optical performance estimates relative to a subset of requirements known as Key Performance Parameters (KPPs). Monitoring and updating KPPs will occur in close collaboration with the Wavefront Control and Integrated Modeling teams. The Optical Systems Engineer will also contribute to interface development and participate in the development and execution of verification and validation plans and procedures, in collaboration with the rest of the Systems Engineering team and the engineering teams responsible for delivering subsystems.

Title: Optical Systems Engineer
Element: Systems Engineering
Manager: Project Systems Engineer
Type: Full Time
Location: Pasadena, CA

• Establish and maintain observatory (system) level optical requirements, and technical budgets. These include, but are not necessarily limited to, requirements for NS/GLAO Image Quality/Normalized Point Source Sensitivity (IQ/PSSN), spatial uniformity, PSSN Temporal Stability, Pupil Stability, and Stray light requirements rooted in each of the system level budgets, their ties to science requirements, and their translation to engineering units.
• Management of KPPs including calculating KPP thresholds based on an assessment of technical risk to the project and Monte Carlo simulation, and the assessment of change impacts at the system level including rebalancing of budgets or accessing reserve.
• Establish the process and methods for continuously evaluating observatory optical performance, as part of the evolving System Compliance Matrix; coordinate adding as-designed/as-built models to simulations to ensure that the final design meet performance requirements.
• Contribute to the development of calibration and test plans, as necessary
• Review and coordinate subsystem level optical requirements, technical budgets, interfaces, and V&V plans.
• Monitor, review and confirm the analyses of the observatory subsystems performed by the engineering teams and contractors.
• Prepare reports, technical notes, and publications on observatory performance and related areas.
• Contribute to system and subsystem level design reviews.
• Other duties as assigned.

• Minimum of a MS in Physics, Astronomy, Optical Sciences or related engineering degree with a minimum of 6 years of relevant experience.
• Good understanding of optical concepts and test procedures.
• Good understanding of ground or space-based observatory performance, relevant metrics and algorithms evaluating those metrics.
• Ability to work independently and manage diverse work load to meet critical deadlines
• Good working knowledge of Matlab/Simulink, Python, or IDL
• Competent use of Zemax.
• Excellent verbal, presentation and writing skills, demonstrated ability of generating comprehensive reports and publications.
• Previous experience presenting reports and providing documentation for design reviews
• Previous experience working as a member of a project team with engineers, scientists and scientific personnel.
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills: well organized, reliable, and proactive in dealing with others.
• Demonstrated ability to be flexible in an environment of changing priorities and working on multiple areas of the project

• MS in Physics, Astronomy, Optical Sciences or related engineering degree with a minimum of 8-10 years of relevant experience.
• Experience with large ground-based observatories, including optical alignment processes for ground or space-based telescopes.
• Experience with astronomical active and/or adaptive optics, optical/IR astronomical instrumentation, systems and subsystems.

• Medical insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Disability insurance

$150,000-$195,000

The salary for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, and training.

EEO Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, or national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.