Optical Engineer, Space

Anduril Industries is a defense technology company with a mission to transform U.S. and allied military capabilities with advanced technology. By bringing the expertise, technology, and business model of the 21st century’s most innovative companies to the defense industry, Anduril is changing how military systems are designed, built and sold. Anduril’s family of systems is powered by Lattice OS, an AI-powered operating system that turns thousands of data streams into a realtime, 3D command and control center.

As the world enters an era of strategic competition, Anduril is committed to bringing cutting-edge autonomy, AI, computer vision, sensor fusion, and networking technology to the military in months, not years.

Anduril’s Space team is dedicated to expanding our AI-powered capabilities into the final frontier, enhancing Space Domain Awareness, Space Control, and Command and Control for U.S. military and allied partners. We’re developing fully integrated hardware and software systems, including Lattice for Space Missions and modular payloads, to address growing threats in space and ensure our Guardians maintain a decisive advantage in this contested war-fighting domain.

As Staff Optical Engineer for Anduril Space, you will be responsible for the optical engineering required to develop EO and IR sensing products to support Anduril Space programs, including IR seekers, EO and IR RPO sensors, Earth imaging EOIR sensors, and others. You will be responsible for possessing deep knowledge on the design, manufacturing, testing and operational capabilities of EO/IR optical components, assemblies, and sensors.

These systems will include unique Anduril technologies as well as complimentary 3rd party technologies as needed to grow and support the Space business line  Optical Engineer Lead on the Space team will work closely with the Anduril Imaging team to deliver unique Medium Wave and Long Wave Infrared (MWIR/LWIR) payload systems and will work with external EO/IR sensor or payload suppliers to develop the necessary optical sensing capabilities to support future captures.

This role is directly tied to ongoing, funded programs within Anduril’s Space Business Line. The programs require building and fielding resilient optical sensing payloads across numerous mission threads. We work with mission partners and customers to deploy reliable and robust capabilities on operationally-relevant fielding timelines to meet complex challenges across the DOD and IC.

• Lead the optical engineering for optical subsystems development for various space programs in all orbital regimes, including the following responsibilities:
  • Coordinate with mission analysts to derive optical performance requirements such as FOV, MTF, sensitivity, allowable stray light, etc.
  • Lead / perform optical design and analysis including sequential and non-sequential ray tracing, tolerancing for manufacturing, optimization for performance and low manufacturing cost
  • Define requirements in specifications, drawings, and or SOW’s for optical component or subassembly procurement, manufacturing, and assembly
  • Define process for and lead / perform structural, thermal, optical performance (STOP) analysis, coordinating with structural and thermal analysts and CAD designers
  • Define assembly, integration, and test plans and procedures for optical products
  • Lead / perform optical requirements verification via analysis or testing
• Lead make/buy/where trades for critical optical components, subassemblies, or subsystems
• Support development of the technical roadmap for optical system development for the space team leveraging Anduril’s unique technologies and 3rd party sensors
• Support challenging schedules during ground testing, launch windows and on-orbit operations of the spacecraft systems.
• Plan, equip, and/or improve optical products lab/factory at one or more Anduril facilities to support development and qualification of new products and/or AI&T of production products

• Currently possesses and is able to maintain an active U.S. Top Secret security clearance
• Strong engineering background from industry and school in…