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Principal Optical Engineer (Starfall)

SpaceX· Falcon and Dragon Avionics & Software Engineering
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Hawthorne, CA$190k - $285kFull-timePosted 2mo ago

About the role

Lead free-space optical system design, validation, and operation for a navigation sensor combining a visible camera and infrared sensing. Define system-level vision, mentor engineers, drive trades across optical/IR hardware, and ensure manufacturability for high-rate production in a fast-paced space environment.

Responsibilities

  • Drive product vision and system-level architecture for a visible-camera and IR navigation sensor
  • Apply optics and photonics knowledge to optical system development, including design, analysis, and validation
  • Define requirements for high-performance optical/IR navigation sensors in challenging environmental conditions
  • Lead optical architecture definition through internal trade studies, concept of operations definition, and risk-reduction testing
  • Drive detailed trades across optical, IR, mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing constraints for high-volume production
  • Design next-generation optical/IR sensor hardware for high-rate manufacturing
  • Mentor optical, electrical, and systems engineers; review designs and raise the technical standard of the team
  • Interface with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure final designs can be manufactured in accordance with overall project goals
  • Perform and oversee verification testing, including environmental qualification, performance characterization, reliability testing, and fault-injection testing
  • Define and lead field testing of optical experiments and navigation sensor systems
  • Review test data and lead anomaly investigation and resolution
  • Own performance budgets, design specifications, and system capabilities data
  • Collaborate with software and automation teams to develop tools and protocols for automated optical/IR testing
  • Communicate technical direction, risks, and recommendations to program leadership

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree in optical engineering, physics, or other engineering discipline
  • 8+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience in optics, photonics, imaging, infrared sensing, or electrical/mechanical design or testing
  • 8+ years of experience in a computer programming language (e.g. C++, MATLAB, and/or Python)

Skills

Required:Optical/system designMentoring / leadershipTrade studies / system-level architectureVerification and environmental testing

Benefits

  • Long-term incentives (stock or long-term cash awards)
  • Discretionary bonuses
  • Employee Stock Purchase Plan
  • comprehensive medical, vision, and dental coverage
  • 401(k) retirement plan
  • short and long-term disability insurance
  • life insurance
  • paid parental leave
  • paid vacation (3 weeks)
  • 10+ paid holidays per year
  • paid sick leave per policy
  • various other discounts and perks
Last updated Aug 26, 2026. Interested? Apply on the company site.

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