Jobs in Mountain View, CA

About the role

In this role, you will establish the technical vision, design methodologies, and execution frameworks for our multispectral thermal IR instruments. As a technical leader and functional manager, you will define the architecture standards, oversight processes, and optical design, analysis, and error budget frameworks that your team executes against. You will guide optomechanical trades, establish vendor management strategies for optical components, and oversee integration with matrixed engineering disciplines across mechanical, structural, and thermal domains. While your primary focus is leadership, technical governance, and internal capability building, you will retain the deep engineering background required to contribute as an optical subsystem lead. This position is hybrid and requires working on-site in our Mountain View, CA office three days per week.

What you'll bring

• Ph.D. and 3+ years of experience developing imaging systems and remote sensing instruments
• or M.S. and 6+ years industry experience
• Direct experience developing space-based or airborne remote sensing hardware, specifically multispectral thermal IR payloads or cryogenically cooled imaging systems.
• Expertise in sequential and non-sequential optical design and analysis software (e.g., Zemax, Code V, FRED, LightTools).
• Strong familiarity with optomechanical design principles, optomechanical CAD review (SolidWorks), and STOP analysis workflows.
• Proven track record of defining technical specifications and actively managing external vendors for optical components.
• Hands-on experience with precision optical metrology equipment, cleanroom optical alignment, and environmental qualification testing.
• Software proficiency in Python for performance modeling and data analysis.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and leadership skills with experience managing complex cross-functional engineering interfaces.
• Willingness and ability to obtain security clearance required.
• Experience working within matrixed engineering organizations and establishing clear functional boundaries.
• Exposure to systems engineering, specifically requirements decomposition and V&V.

Benefits