Sr. Principal Optomechanical Engineer - 4
$122,800–$184,200 year
On-siteChandler, Arizona, United States
Job Summary
Own requirements, allocation, and verification for IR window materials and assemblies in the seeker subsystem. Lead trade studies, testing campaigns, and manufacturing process improvements for coatings, bonds, seals, and supporting structures. Coordinate with government partners, vendors, and internal teams to drive design, prototyping, qualification, and production while managing procurement plans and supply chain risks. Oversee mechanical, thermal shock, and environmental testing to validate performance margins and ensure compliance with export controls. Facilitate technical documentation, including design drawings, tolerance analyses, and test plans. Provide leadership in design and readiness reviews, risk boards, and material review boards.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline from an accredited university
- 8 years of related experience
- Master's degree in a related discipline
- 6 years of related experience
- PhD in a related discipline
- 4 years of related experience
- Ability to obtain a U.S. Government - Secret security clearance at the time of application
- Professional experience leading the design, development, or qualification of IR optical materials and window assemblies for aerospace, defense, or similar high-reliability systems
- Experience with material and component testing, including mechanical and environmental test methods (e.g., thermal cycling, vibration, shock, pressure, humidity, and relevant MIL-STD test frameworks)
- Experience coordinating technical activities with vendors and suppliers, including interpretation of specifications, drawings, and inspection criteria
- Demonstrated experience with NDI methods used for optical or structural components (such as radiography, ultrasonic inspection, optical/visual inspection)
- Experience working with or within multi-disciplinary teams (systems, guidance navigation and control (GNC), mechanical, materials, manufacturing, test) to integrate hardware into complex systems
- Familiarity with export control considerations and handling of technical data in support of domestic and international collaborations
- Proven ability to independently tackle complex technical problems, synthesize test and analysis results, and present technical findings to stakeholders in written and oral formats
- U.S. Citizenship
Desired Qualifications
- MS or PhD in Optical Engineering, Materials Science, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline
- Active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at the time of application
- Experience serving as a technical lead or responsible engineer for IR windows or other critical optical components on missile, hypersonic, or other high-reliability flight systems
- Previous experience with DoD missile defense or seeker programs, including familiarity with performance verification frameworks, environmental qualification, and flight test correlation
- Hands-on experience with IR window design and integration, including material selection (e.g., IR-transmitting ceramics/crystals), coatings, mechanical mounting, and thermal/structural analyses
- Experience developing or overseeing NDI procedures for optical materials and assemblies, including disposition of nonconformances and root-cause investigations
- Proficiency with engineering and analysis tools such as finite element analysis (FEA) for structural/thermal evaluation, optical performance modeling, and statistical methods for test data analysis
- Demonstrated experience driving manufacturing process improvements, supplier development activities, and configuration management for critical hardware
- Strong written and verbal communication skills and a track record of mentoring and developing junior engineers
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