Overview Energy Optical Engineer Ashburn, VA · Full time Company website

As an Optical Engineer with Overview Energy, you will apply your knowledge, leadership, and creativity to develop next-generation, high-power optical systems for use in space. All experience levels welcome to apply.

Description

OPTICAL ENGINEER

DC AREA, NORTHERN VIRGINIA

IN-PERSON FULL-TIME


Overview Energy is building a mission-driven team committed to delivering space-based solar power to the world. We uniquely operate at the intersection of space and clean energy. We are based in the DC area, backed by world-class investors, and are operating in stealth mode.


As an Optical Engineer with Overview Energy, you will apply your knowledge, leadership, and creativity to develop next-generation, high-power optical systems for use in space. You will join a team responsible for designing and optimizing high power laser systems, ultralight space-flight optics, and more. This is a challenging role, as it involves design, analysis, testing, and manufacturing of optical components that are reliable and manufacturable at scale; and are absolutely critical to our mission success.


Key Responsibilities:

  • Iterate on designing, prototyping, testing, and ultimately manufacturing optical systems in a fast-paced environment. Verify that designs are affordably manufacturable and reliable.
  • Lead design reviews with your team, internal stakeholders, suppliers, and customers.
  • Help to hire a team of optics experts as we grow.
  • Own your assigned project and task delivery timelines from early design through production, launch, and on orbit operations.
  • Work with cross-team stakeholders to ensure optical components will integrate with other subsystems. Your team will enable the rest of the company.
  • Bring technical excellence to everything you do.


Required Qualifications:

  • You’re an optics generalist. You have experience with a wide range of optical systems, small and large, low and high power.
  • You have both theoretical design experience and practical hands-on experience building prototypes and manufacturing optical systems, and you are fluent with an optical design software package.
  • Experience specifying, building, and testing both physical optics (mirrors, lenses) and laser optics systems and mechanisms.
  • Highly self-motivated with strong organizational and communication skills.
  • Work well with a team of rigorous and generalist thinkers.


Ideal Qualifications:

  • Can solve open-ended complex optical problems in creative and unexpected ways.
  • Experience with complex fiber and fiber interface optics, large (>30cm) optics, and high power (10s of watts or more) lasers and their associated optics.
  • Experience designing optics for low-cost manufacturability.
  • Experience with cell phone optics (MEMS and other similar technologies) and opto-mechanical systems (automated pointing, feedback controls, etc).


Benefits:

The health and safety of our employees and their families comes first. In addition to competitive salary and equity, we offer Medical, Dental, Vision, Disability, and Life coverage, Health and Wellness Allowance, Paid Time Off, Parental Leave, and employer 401K matching. The Company reserves the right to modify or change these benefits at any time.


ITAR Requirements:

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR), you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Overview Energy is an Equal Opportunity Employer; employment with Overview Energy is governed on the basis of merit, competence, and qualifications, and will not be influenced in any manner by race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, mental or physical disability, or any other legally protected status.


Studies show that often women and members of underrepresented groups apply for jobs only if they meet 100% of the qualifications. Overview Energy encourages everyone who thinks they could do the job, even if they don’t meet all of our idealized qualifications, to apply.