Optical Design Engineer

Space Systems Integration (SSI) is a fast-growing engineering company that provides aerospace solutions to a variety of government and commercial customers.  Our employees are forward-thinking, self-directed individuals who are committed to solving our customers’ technical challenges.

SSI is searching for an Optical Design Engineer located in Albuquerque, NM. The candidate will support the development of first-of-kind operational space or space-related missions. This handpicked candidate must possess technical expertise and experience with developing, designing, building, and integrating advanced electro-optical (EO) hardware and software.

A successful candidate should be a leader and problem solver with a proven ability to deliver superior results as part of a high-performing team in a high-profile, fast-paced environment. The candidate will apply advanced principles, theories, and concepts for highly classified systems, while also effectively communicating complex results with management and executive leadership.

In this position, you will provide System Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) to our customer at Kirtland AFB, NM. For each project, our customer sets up small, agile, and empowered teams, including program manager, technical specialists, contracting, finance, and security, and they use the right acquisition strategies to set the effort up for success. You will work in one of these small, highly empowered teams where every team member is directly responsible for the success of the program.

Role and Responsibilities:

·        Supports requirements development, design, interpretation, and analysis of technical solutions for complex optical systems.

·        Leads or supports technical programs, projects, or tasks whose technical complexity requires engineering oversight.

·        Ensures completion of tasks within estimated time frames and budget constraints.

·        Provides input to the government customer concerning risks to performance, schedule, and budget due to either proposed contractor plans or the contractor's execution of accepted plans.

·        Ensures the quality of the program, project, or task deliverables meets or exceeds standards or metrics and assesses such deliverables to ensure that the final deliverables will meet the warfighting purpose for which they are intended.

·        Plans and performs engineering research, design development, and other engineering assignments in conformance with the design, engineering, and customer specifications.

·        Responsible for the overall technical/engineering portions of major projects or programs.

·        Coordinates with multiple partners/agencies to ensure system engineering communities support delivery milestones.

·        Tracks and advises design trades and associated costs, schedule, and technical impacts to requirements.

·        Initiates, supervises, and/or develops requirements from a project’s inception to the conclusion for complex to extremely complex programs.

·        Provides strategic advice, technical guidance, and expertise to program and project staff.

·        Provides detailed analysis, evaluation, and recommendations for improvements, optimization development, and/or maintenance efforts for client-specific or mission-critical challenges/issues.

·        Leads studies and analyses of data to provide advice and recommend solutions.

·        Communicate, concisely, and with technical accuracy—oral and written.

·        Other duties as required.

• Minimum ten (10) years DoD/IC, or relevant industry work experience.
• An applicable engineering or optics degree from a program accredited by the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET).
• Relevant MA/MS/ME degree

• Expert knowledge in development and fielding EO systems.
• Experience with electro-optical systems, optical structures, coatings, and integration and test of large-scale optical systems.
• Working knowledge of and experience with optical design and analysis tools (Zemax, CODE V, or equivalent).
• Experience in DoD program management including program development and transition.
• Experience with Integrated Master Schedules, and risk management.
• Active TOP SECRET clearance with sensitive compartmentalized information (SCI) and special access program (SAP) eligibility.
• No less than two (2) years total SAP and/or SCI environment experience and 1-year total within last 5 years.
• Candidate must maintain a TS/SCI clearance as a condition of employment and willingness to submit to a Counter-Intelligence polygraph.
• This position is full-time, on site at Kirtland AFB, NM and will require travel up to 25% of time within the continental United States.

• Fifteen (15) years of relevant DoD and/or Industry work experience.
• PhD in engineering or optical sciences
• System Engineering Technical Assistance (SETA) to Government program office.
• Experience with rapid prototyping and transition to operations.
• Experience in Adaptive Optics and atmospheric correction techniques.
• Experience with ACAT I/II level acquisition programs.
• Experience in planning and executing assembly, integration, and test campaigns for optical systems.

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Space Systems Integration provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.