Sr. Optical Engineer

The role

This person will lead the development, fabrication, metrology, and process control of large-format optical components for advanced telescope systems. The role focuses on large refractive optics and the development of custom metrology and manufacturing processes.

What you will do

• Lead the development and manufacturing of large-format precision optical components.
• Develop and mature optical manufacturing processes including grinding, polishing, figuring, coating, cleaning, handling, and final acceptance.
• Design and develop custom metrology systems, tooling, fixtures, and test methods.
• Define metrology strategies for measuring surface figure, transmitted wavefront error, surface quality, thickness, wedge, and centration.
• Establish robust process controls including process capability, statistical process control (SPC), yield, and repeatability.
• Analyze manufacturing and metrology data to identify process variation and drive corrective actions.
• Develop manufacturing tolerances and specifications.
• Partner with optical designers to ensure optical prescriptions can be manufactured and validated.
• Support the development and qualification of optical materials, coatings, fabrication methods, and suppliers.
• Lead technical problem solving for manufacturing defects, nonconformances, and yield issues.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 5+ years of experience working directly in a precision optical manufacturing environment.
• Deep hands-on knowledge of optical fabrication processes, including grinding, polishing, figuring, and finishing of precision optics.
• Demonstrated experience manufacturing large or technically challenging refractive optical elements.
• Strong experience developing optical metrology systems and measurement methodologies.
• Hands-on experience with interferometry and other precision optical measurement techniques.
• Deep understanding of manufacturing process control, including SPC, process capability, repeatability, yield improvement, and root cause analysis.
• Experience translating optical requirements and tolerances into practical manufacturing and inspection processes.
• Strong understanding of optical materials, surface specifications, transmitted wavefront error, surface figure, centration, wedge, and other manufacturing-critical optical parameters.
• Demonstrated ability to troubleshoot optical manufacturing problems using data and first-principles engineering.
• Ability to work directly with technicians, machinists, vendors, and engineers in a hands-on manufacturing environment.

Nice to have

• Direct experience developing or manufacturing refractive optical elements greater than 400 mm in diameter.
• Experience developing custom interferometric or other specialized metrology systems for large optics.
• Experience establishing or scaling optical manufacturing processes from development into production.
• Experience with deterministic finishing techniques such as MRF, ion beam figuring, CNC polishing, or similar processes.
• Experience with precision optical coatings and coating-related manufacturing considerations.
• Experience developing supplier capabilities or qualifying external optical fabrication vendors.
• Experience with telescope, astronomical, aerospace, defense, or other high-performance imaging optics.
• Experience with optical design and analysis tools such as Zemax OpticStudio, Code V, or equivalent.
• Experience working with highly challenging optical tolerances where manufacturing process capability is a primary driver of system performance.

Benefits

• Competitive Compensation
• Equity Opportunities
• Flexible Work Environment
• Unlimited PTO (Salaried positions only)
• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% of the premium paid by the employer
• Cutting-Edge Tools
• Mission-Driven Culture
• Inclusive Team

About the company

Observable Space is a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. They deliver foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space.