Optical Communications Systems Engineer

Senior Optical Communications Systems Engineer responsible for owning end-to-end free-space optical link budget models and developing architecture models for space-to-ground and space-to-space lasercom links. Quantify link margin, data rate, acquisition margin, and sensitivity to major terminal design choices; model transmitter/receiver performance from electrical input through propagation to detected signal; lead architecture trades across aperture size, transmit power, modulation, coding, pointing stability, atmospheric loss, and receiver sensitivity. Build and maintain practical modeling tools in Python/MATLAB, use those tools to inform architecture recommendations, and translate results into requirements for optical, electrical, GNC, software, mechanical, and test teams. Relevant experience may come from space optical communications, terrestrial fiber communications, coherent optical systems, high-data-rate telecom hardware, or adjacent optical/electrical systems. Senior, staff, or principal-level contribution expected; space hardware experience valued but not required. Additional context: compensation bands are role/location/market-based with potential stock options and benefits; ITAR/EAR considerations apply; equal opportunity employer.