Principal Optical Engineer (Starfall)

Hawthorne, CAfull timeOn Site

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senior

$190k–$285k

H1B: no

SpaceX Principal Optical Engineer at SpaceX responsible for free-space optical system design, validation, and operation for a navigation sensor combining visible camera and infrared sensing. Leads design of optics, detectors, circuit boards, precision mechanisms, and mechanical enclosures for space environment and high-rate manufacturing.

Responsibilities

Drive product vision and system-level architecture for a visible-camera and IR navigation sensor
Apply optics and photonics knowledge to optical system development, including design, analysis, and validation
Define requirements for high-performance optical/IR navigation sensors in challenging environmental conditions
Lead optical architecture definition through internal trade studies, concept of operations definition, and risk-reduction testing
Drive detailed trades across optical, IR, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing constraints for high-volume production
Design next-generation optical/IR sensor hardware for high-rate manufacturing
Mentor optical, electrical, and systems engineers; review designs and raise the technical standard of the team
Interface with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure final designs can be manufactured in accordance with overall project goals
Perform and oversee verification testing, including environmental qualification, performance characterization, reliability testing, and fault-injection testing
Define and lead field testing of optical experiments and navigation sensor systems
Review test data and lead anomaly investigation and resolution
Own performance budgets, design specifications, and system capabilities data

Qualification

Knowledge of and experience in cameras

Required

Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering discipline
8+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience in optics, photonics, imaging, infrared sensing, or electrical/mechanical design or testing
8+ years of experience in a computer programming language (e.g. C++, MATLAB, and/or Python)

Preferred

Master’s degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline
Experience driving product vision and system-level trades for complex electro-optical products
Demonstrated ability to mentor engineers and lead technical teams without relying solely on formal authority
Proficiency with optical analysis tools such as Zemax
Hands-on experience in optical design or system design, integration, and test of imaging or IR systems
Experience designing mixed-signal circuits, processors, FPGAs, Ethernet, SERDES, DRAM interfaces (DDR4), I2C, SPI, operational amplifiers, analog-to-digital and digital-to-analog converters, and power supply components
Opto-mechanical design and analysis experience with precision mounting and alignment
Knowledge of and experience in cameras, IR detectors, optics testing/troubleshooting techniques, and signal integrity principles