Optical Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) Engineer

An Optical Assembly, Integration, and Test (AI&T) Engineer is sought to support the development of one-of-a-kind complex prototypes for imaging, communication, and directed energy applications.

This role focuses on planning, assembly, integration, alignment, and testing activities for advanced optical systems in laboratory clean room environments. The engineer will collaborate closely with multidisciplinary teams to support prototype development from initial integration planning through environmental qualification testing.

Responsibilities

• Plan and prepare for extensive optical assembly, integration, and testing activities conducted in laboratory clean rooms.
• Develop optical system assembly and alignment approaches, derive requirements, define process flows, and identify or develop required ground support equipment (GSE).
• Collaborate with mechanical and opto-mechanical engineers to design mounts and assemblies with appropriate adjustment resolution and degrees of freedom.
• Execute assembly and alignment of free-space and fiber-optic optical assemblies, including sensor integration and performance characterization.
• Specify custom optical components such as mirrors, lenses, and filters; assess supplier capabilities; and inspect/test procured optics.
• Utilize free-space optical tooling including interferometers, polarimeters, laser beam profilers, alignment telescopes, and autocollimators.
• Work with fiber optic cables and components, including associated testing methods.
• Write AI&T procedures, document build activities, and participate in troubleshooting and issue resolution.
• Conduct environmental test campaigns to evaluate system performance under operational and survival conditions including thermal cycling, vibration, altitude, and thermal vacuum testing.

Required Skills

• 3–5 years of optical AI&T experience.
• Experience assembling, aligning, and testing refractive and reflective optical systems and components.
• Familiarity with optical alignment instrumentation including interferometers, autocollimators, alignment telescopes, theodolites, profilometers, and wavefront sensors.
• Broad understanding of optical fabrication techniques and experience evaluating vendors for custom optical manufacturing.
• Experience performing incoming inspection of procured optical components and familiarity with optical fabrication specifications.
• Ability to work effectively within small multidisciplinary engineering teams.

Preferred Skills

• Familiarity with optical design software such as Zemax or CodeV for tolerance analysis and troubleshooting.
• Experience supporting space systems and/or laser communication systems strongly preferred.

Additional Information

• This role requires onsite work 100% of the time due to laboratory and integration activities.
• Candidates may begin with an interim clearance; however, preference will be given to candidates with an active Secret or Top Secret clearance.
• Candidates must be eligible to obtain a Top Secret clearance after onboarding.
• Occasional travel to domestic field sites may be required to support integration activities and technical meetings.
• Interview process includes:
  • Initial phone/video prescreen interview
  • Final-round onsite interview
• Relocation candidates may be considered for a remote final-round interview, while local candidates should expect onsite interviews.

Qualifications

Must Have

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 3+ years of experience with:
  • Laser characterization equipment
  • Free-space optics
  • Handling, cleaning, and inspection of optical components in laboratory environments
  • Optical technology and optical hardware
  • Optical systems integration and testing
  • Hardware and software integration
  • Environmental testing (TVAC, vibration, shock, thermal cycling, etc.)
• 1+ year of optical design experience

Nice to Have

• Experience with laser communication (lasercom) system-level functions
• Experience supporting space systems