Optical Engineering Intern - Optical Engineer (Summer 2027) - Group 78

About the role

The Optical Engineering Group at MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a specialized team of about 35 Optical Engineers and Optical Specialists/Technicians. The group collaborates with Mission Divisions across the Laboratory to take cutting‑edge concepts and apply all aspects of optical engineering to the development of prototype satellite, airborne, and terrestrial optical systems. Employees work throughout the entire optical system development life‑cycle, supporting key mission areas such as space control, communication systems, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, electro‑optical technologies, biotechnology, tactical systems, homeland protection, air and missile defense, and Earth science and astronomy. In addition to large‑scale projects, the group pursues basic research on ideas generated internally. As a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC), Lincoln Laboratory conducts groundbreaking R&D that addresses critical national‑security challenges and advances science.

Responsibilities

• Support key mission areas including: Space control, Communication systems, Intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems, Electro‑optical technologies, Biotechnology, Tactical systems, Homeland protection, Air and missile defense, Earth Science and Astronomy.
• Work within the entire optical system development life‑cycle.

Requirements

• Completed Junior year or higher in Optical Sciences or Optical Engineering degree track.
• A broad optical engineering education, with course work in geometrical and physical optics, with familiarity of optical component fabrication, system alignment and testing.
• Demonstrated experience working in multi‑disciplinary teams, excellent communication skills, and the ability to produce and present professional written and oral reports.
• All employees (including interns and co‑ops) must obtain and maintain a security clearance, which requires U.S. citizenship.
• Selected candidate will be subject to a pre‑employment background investigation and must be able to obtain and maintain a Secret level DoD security clearance.

Qualifications

• Experience with Zemax or CodeV optical design software.
• Stray light modeling, FRED software.
• Matlab proficiency.
• Experience assembling, aligning, and testing refractive or reflective optical components and systems.
• Designing and tolerancing optical systems for fabrication.

Benefits

• Housing support for eligible non‑local interns: access to discounted university housing in Boston and a one‑time taxable relocation payment.
• Complimentary daily shuttle transportation from Boston‑based housing to and from the Lab.
• Professional development opportunities including workshops, tech talks, and networking events.

Pay

Compensation: Hourly pay rates effective January 2026 – December 2026 (reviewed again for Summer 2027). Rates are based on the highest academic year or degree completed before the internship start date:

• Freshman year completed: $25.00/hour
• Sophomore year completed: $27.00/hour
• Junior year completed: $29.00/hour
• 4th year of 5‑year program completed, no degree conferred: $32.00/hour
• Bachelors completed: $34.50/hour
• Bachelors + 1 (one year of graduate study): $36.50/hour
• Bachelors + 2 (two years of graduate study): $38.00/hour
• MS completed: $39.00/hour
• MS + 1 (one year of graduate study after MS): $41.00/hour