Optical Engineer Senior

Standard Job Description

We are seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to design and analyze optical and electro-optical systems, primarily for space applications. Our team develops imaging, sensing, and laser systems from early concepts through flight hardware. You will own optical design and analysis for assigned systems and subsystems, support hands-on alignment, integration, and test, and collaborate across engineering disciplines to carry designs through verification. You will help set the objectives for your assignments, carry out the work independently with reviews at key milestones, develop practical solutions to complex optical problems, and work with senior engineers and program leadership on significant technical matters.

This role centers on optical design and analysis, and we do not expect experience in every area listed below. Design experience with imaging, laser, or other electro-optical systems is relevant, and space flight experience is a plus. A Master's degree or Ph.D. counts toward the experience requirement.

Responsibilities

Develop and evaluate optical designs for assigned systems and subsystems, including refractive, reflective, and catadioptric designs (e.g., telescopes, relay optics, beam expanders).

Build optical models to predict system performance against requirements (e.g., image quality and radiometry for imaging systems; beam propagation for laser systems).

Analyze tolerances, sensitivities, and structural-thermal effects on optical performance (STOP), working with structural and thermal analysts, to guide fabrication, alignment, and integration.

Work with systems engineers to derive optical requirements, and develop and maintain optical error budgets for assigned subsystems (e.g., wavefront error, MTF, line of sight, throughput).

Develop optical component specifications and support procurement and vendor acceptance.

Support optical alignment, integration, and test, including test planning, and correlate measured performance with model predictions.

Participate in troubleshooting and root-cause investigations of optical performance anomalies, and recommend design changes.

Collaborate with systems, mechanical, thermal, stray light, manufacturing, and test engineers to resolve optical interfaces and to ensure designs are producible and testable.

Communicate technical findings and recommendations through analyses, internal and customer design reviews, and reports.

Contribute optical analyses to trade studies, technology development efforts, and proposals.

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.

Three or more years of related optical engineering experience, or two or more years with a Master's degree, or one or more years with a Ph.D.

Experience performing optical design and analysis of optical or electro-optical systems (e.g., optimization, performance modeling, tolerancing) using optical design software.

Working knowledge of geometrical and physical optics, radiometry, and optical quality metrics (e.g., wavefront error, MTF, encircled energy).

Experience performing engineering analysis and evaluating model or test data (e.g., using MATLAB, Python, or equivalent tools).

Experience communicating technical results through written documentation and design review presentations.

U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a TS/SCI security clearance.

Desired Skills

Active Top Secret/SCI clearance, or active Top Secret clearance with eligibility for SCI or other required compartmented access.

Experience using Zemax OpticStudio or CODE V for optical design, optimization, and tolerancing.

Experience developing optics or optical hardware for space flight.

Experience applying tolerance, sensitivity, and structural-thermal-optical performance (STOP) analyses to hardware decisions.

Experience with non-sequential and physical optics modeling (e.g., Zemax OpticStudio, FRED) for stray light, ghost, diffraction, or beam propagation analysis.

Experience developing optical error budgets, radiometric or sensor performance models, or link budgets.

Understanding of stray light and ghost mitigation techniques (e.g., baffles, stops, coatings) and experience working with stray light analysts to implement design changes.

Hands-on optical alignment and test experience (e.g., interferometry, MTF, encircled energy, beam profiling), including troubleshooting measured performance.

Experience with optical systems in one or more spectral bands from visible through LWIR, including optical material and coating selection.

Experience writing optical component specifications or statements of work and working with optical vendors.

Proficient in AI prompting as it applies to this position and practice

Pay Information

Full-Time Salary Range: $110300.00 - $204900.00

At Lockheed Martin, we know mission success starts with taking care of our people. Our Total Rewards program is designed to attract top talent, support your well-being, and help you grow—both professionally and personally.

The salary range for this position is as listed on the requisition. Please note that the salary information listed is a general guideline only. Lockheed Martin considers factors such as (but not limited to) scope and responsibilities of the position, candidate's work experience, education/ training, key skills as well as market(work location) and business considerations when extending an offer.

Benefits offered: Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible work arrangements and schedules (e.g., 4x10), 401(k) match, Paid time off, Holidays, Parental Leave, EAP, Flexible Spending Accounts, Education Assistance, Life Insurance, Short-Term Disability, and Long-Term Disability.

Annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs may be offered depending on the position. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and can vary from year to year and are tied to a range of performance metrics.

For (Washington state applicants only) Non-represented full-time employees: accrue at least 10 hours per month of Paid Time Off (PTO) to be used for incidental absences and other reasons; receive at least 90 hours for holidays. Represented full time employees accrue 6.67 hours of Vacation per month; accrue up to 52 hours of sick leave annually; receive at least 96 hours for holidays. PTO, Vacation, sick leave, and holiday hours are prorated based on start date during the calendar year.