Optical Engineer, Design & Architecture

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.

ABOUT THE TEAM

The Anduril Imaging team develops state-of-the-art imaging systems across both hardware and software, deployed to tackle the most significant security challenges of America and its allies. The team is heavily involved in utilizing computer vision, perception, electro-optical, infrared, and sensor data to give our war fighters and allies an advantage.

ABOUT THE JOB

The Imaging team is seeking an Optical Engineer to focus on design and architecture in support of an expanding and maturing product line at a transition point from prototyping to maturity.

WHAT YOU’LL DO

• Lead architecture decisions, optical trades for novel optical systems for broadly defined missions
• Design lenses and optical components for high performance imaging systems
• Understand and define optical performance requirements given multi-disciplinary engineering constraints
• Transition a high TRL prototype optical assembly to a production fieldable system.
• Design and tolerance complex visible to infrared optical systems to meet performance requirements for ground & airborne applications
• Develop and review test setups, procedures, and data to transition products and systems from R&D to production
• Evaluate and analyze prototype and production optical system performance errors to determine root cause
• Work independently and collaborate with senior staff and leadership to solve interdisciplinary technical problems by serving as the Optical Engineering subject matter expert

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• BS in Engineering or Physics/Astronomy required with a concentration in Optics
• MS or PhD preferred, but not required
• 5+ years of experience with complex opto-mechanical systems, performing optical system design, analysis, alignment and test in the workforce
• Experience building LIDAR, laser communications, or adaptive optics systems, with a strong understanding of pointing, acquisition, and tracking.
• Expertise with optical design and analysis software, preferably Zemax or CodeV
• Experience with STOP (Structural, Thermal, and Optical Performance) analysis
• Knowledge of image quality metrics and data analysis methods
• Experience with the design of diffraction limited imaging systems in dynamic environments
• Eligible to obtain and maintain an active U.S. Secret security clearance

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Demonstrated first principles approach to complex opto-mechanical problems
• Optical component testing experience (spectral transmission, interferometry, etc.), optical system alignment and testing (EE, MTF, PSF, etc.), and opto-electrical system modeling
• Demonstrated experience in the integration, test, and performance requirements verification and validation of optical systems
• Experience with radiometry and stray light analysis
• Demonstrated team leadership experience and mentoring of junior staff
• Knowledge of common materials used in optical systems and limitations of fabrication methods of optics (molded, polished, diamond turned) as well as micro structures

US Salary Range$143,000-$191,000 USD

The salary range for this role is an estimate based on a wide range of compensation factors, inclusive of base salary only. Actual salary offer may vary based on (but not limited to) work experience, education and/or training, critical skills, and/or business considerations. Highly competitive equity grants are included in the majority of full time offers; and are considered part of Anduril's total compensation package. Additionally, Anduril offers top-tier benefits for full-time employees, including:

Benefits

At Anduril, we invest in our people. Our comprehensive, competitive benefits package (available at little to no cost to employees) ensures you’re supported in health, recovery, and whatever comes next. For more information, Explore Our Benefits.

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Anduril is committed to maintaining the integrity of our Talent acquisition process and the security of our candidates. We've observed a rise in sophisticated phishing and fraudulent schemes where individuals impersonate Anduril representatives, luring job seekers with false interviews or job offers. These scammers often attempt to extract payment or sensitive personal information.

To ensure your safety and help you navigate your job search with confidence, please keep the following critical points in mind:

• No Financial Requests: Anduril will never solicit payment or demand personal financial details (such as banking information, credit card numbers, or social security numbers) at any stage of our hiring process. Our legitimate recruitment is entirely free for candidates.

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• Direct from Anduril: If you receive an email from one of our recruiters, it will only come from an @anduril.com address.
• Via Agency Partner: If contacted by a recruiting agency for an Anduril role, their email will clearly identify their agency. If you suspect any suspicious activity, please verify the agency's authenticity by reaching out to contact@anduril.com.

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