Sr. Optical Engineer, R&D

The role

You will own optical system design and drive critical optical investigations for a hardware platform. You will work with mechanical and electrical teammates to turn optical designs into deployed systems.

What you will do

• Lead optical design and analysis for core system components
• Drive optical investigations, trade studies, and system-level design decisions
• Specify and evaluate optical components and subsystem architectures
• Partner with mechanical engineers on packaging, housing, and integration decisions
• Support tolerance analysis, performance validation, and design iteration
• Lead or guide alignment, characterization, and test efforts for integrated optical systems
• Work with vendors and fabricators on manufacturability, tolerancing, and component feasibility
• Help establish best practices for optical development, validation, and technical documentation

Required qualifications

• Strong background in optical engineering, optical design, or related physics-based system work
• Deep understanding of optical theory and the ability to apply it to real hardware problems
• Experience designing, analyzing, and debugging optical systems in practice
• Ability to lead technical investigations from first principles and prior experience
• Enough mechanical fluency to collaborate effectively on packaging and integration
• Strong hands-on engineering judgment and comfort working across disciplines
• Senior-level experience
• BS or MS in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or related field

Nice to have

• Experience with alignment and characterization of precise optical systems operating in the real world

Benefits

• Competitive salary + equity
• United Health Care medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Flexible 18 days PTO + 5 sick days
• Travel to field test events and range days
• Covered daily lunches and office snacks + drinks
• E-bike / scooter stipend ( Up to $500)
• Direct access to leadership and real ownership over your work

Before you apply

• Requires access to export-controlled information or items that require U.S. Person status (U.S. citizens, legal permanent residents, or certain protected classes of asylees and refugees)

About the company

Aurelius Systems is a VC backed defense tech startup building autonomous, edge deployed directed energy systems for counter-UAS. They build laser weapons to shoot down drones.