Senior Specialist, Optical Engineering: Sign-On Bonus ($25K Max)
L3HARRIS Technologies
Fort Wayne, IN · Posted October 2, 2026
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Where Fort Wayne, IN ranks
Where Fort Wayne, IN placed in our monthly rankings, month by month. Each month stays online at its own address.
November 2026
- #10Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Great Lakes113 openings · of 48
- #14Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Great Lakes3% · of 38
- #14Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Great Lakes32 jobs · of 36
- #14Best cities for software and engineering jobs in the Midwest113 openings · of 59
- #18Best cities for entry-level jobs that want AI skills in the Midwest3% · of 52
- #19Cities with the most jobs that do not need a four-year degree in the Midwest32 jobs · of 51
Rankings about engineering jobs
- Best cities for software and engineering jobs #1 San Francisco (3,412 openings)
- Best cities for engineering pay after cost of living #1 San Mateo ($216k)
- Most requested AI skills in engineering jobs #1 AI tools in daily work (6.1%)
- AI tools named most often in engineering jobs #1 Claude (1.7%)
- Employers with the most engineering jobs #1 Amazon (2,992 roles)
How AI is used in this kind of work
AI use among engineers, all other is little observed so far. Measured exposure for engineers, all other: 7% (little observed).
Share of this job’s tasks that AI is already used for at work, from real usage. It is not a forecast of job loss, and a low number means no use seen yet. Source: Anthropic Economic Index.
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About the job
Job Title: Senior Specialist, Optical Engineering : Sign-On Bonus ($25K Max)
Job Code: 45531
Job Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Job Schedule: 9/80 (Every other Friday off)
Sign-On Bonus: A sign-on bonus of up to $25K may be included as part of an offer package for this level
Job Description:
The Fort Wayne, IN engineering team is seeking a dedicated Optical Engineer to join our team onsite, providing critical support for our aerospace programs. This role involves hands-on lab work, precise optical alignment, and meticulous inspection processes. Our projects span imaging systems across the UV to LWIR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum. The successful candidate will be deeply involved in the practical aspects of optical engineering, ensuring the integrity and performance of our sophisticated optical systems.
This position is located in Fort Wayne, IN: https://careers.l3harris.com/en/Fort-Wayne
Essential Functions:
Conduct thorough testing and alignment of complex optical systems within a lab environment.
Collaborate with cross-disciplinary teams to achieve project objectives, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills and the ability to work well in a team setting.
Utilize strong organizational skills to manage tasks and documentation effectively.
Apply excellent written and verbal communication skills to document processes, convey technical information, and facilitate effective teamwork.
Engage in troubleshooting activities and verification of system requirements to ensure compliance and functionality.
Support optical design and modeling efforts as needed, with a focus on hands-on application and testing.
Perform detailed receiving, cleaning, and inspection of optical components to maintain system integrity.
Participate in systems trade studies, vender assessments with an emphasis on practical evaluation and lab-based experimentation.
Must be able to obtain a US DoD Secret security clearance
Qualifications:
Bachelor’s Degree in engineering and minimum 6 years of prior relevant experience. Graduate Degree and a minimum of 4 years of prior related experience. In lieu of a degree, minimum of 10 years of prior related experience.
4 years of experience in hands-on optical alignment, testing, and inspection, preferably with remote sensing infrared and visible space-qualified systems.
Experience with Zemax and/or Code V optical software for design and analysis purposes.
Preferred Additional Skills:
Experience with MATLAB for data analysis and automation of testing procedures.
Familiarity with FRED or similar stray light analysis software for evaluating and mitigating optical system interference.
Experience with metalens design and manufacturing
Implementation of generative AI to analysis of optical systems
Active DoD Secret Security Clearance.
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