Optical Systems Engineer

About the role

At Areté, we are on the forefront of utilizing innovative solutions, with great minds from all backgrounds, to help solve the nation’s most complex security challenges. We strive for an inclusive, collaborative team environment that approaches differences as opportunities for innovation and excellence. As an employee-owned company, we foster an atmosphere that propels diverse career opportunities and professional growth.

Responsibilities

• Drives technical research for laser and sensor development programs
• Manages proposals for pursuits of new science and technology business
• Prepares calculations, models, and simulations to predict laser system performance
• Analyzes collected experimental data to assess laser system performance
• Develops laser and optical system specifications
• Works with manufacturing and engineering staff to support design
• Assembles, aligns, and tests lasers and optical system systems
• Documents designs, procedures, and performance
• Develops optical fixturing and tests to support laser and optical system alignment, construction, and performance verification
• Inspects optical component and systems
• Prepares and presents technical briefings
• Participates in design reviews and maintains documentation of resulting system design
• Prepares electrical and optical hardware for demonstrations and experiments
• Plans and executes field tests and demonstrations of prototype hardware electro-optical systems and components
• Supports proposal preparation for new technical work
• Principal investigator for DoD research and development projects
• Submits technical proposals for research and development programs

Qualifications

• Proficient theoretical understanding of laser physics, optics, and design approaches
• Demonstrated capability in hardware build and test
• Experience in the execution of DoD funded research and development programs
• Appreciation of both technical and business constraints for development projects
• Intellectual curiosity and desire for continuous learning
• Entrepreneurial spirit
• Quickly understands overall project objectives and selects best suited solutions
• Skilled and innovative problem solver
• Works well independently and as part of a team
• Strong work ethic
• Detail oriented
• Inquisitive and provides critical review of technical work by peers
• Responsive to technical questions and review from peers and technical management
• Comfortable in adapting to support a wide variety of roles to support different types of laser, lidar, and optical system development projects
• Proficient use of standard MS Office software (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
• Proficient in use of standard electrical and optical test equipment operation (e.g. oscilloscopes, signal generators, laser sources, spectrometers, detectors, etc.)
• Proficient in Matlab, Mathematica, Python, or other scientific computing language
• Possesses basic understanding of optical detectors and radiometry
• Capable of developing models and simulations of laser dynamics to support optical designs
• Capable of developing code to process collected sensor data
• Independently perform research of available literature to fill in knowledge gaps as needed

Skills

• Remote sensing systems (visible, IR, lidar)
• Experience with COMSOL, Zemax, Ansys, Solidworks, CREO, or other design software
• Active security clearance

Benefits

• Health & Wellness Medical, Dental & Vision Insurance
• Life and Long-Term Disability (LTD)
• Vision Reimbursement
• Fitness Reimbursement
• Financial Company-funded 5% contribution to your 401(k) retirement plan
• Company-funded 5% contribution to your Employee Stock Ownership Plan
• Continuing Education Assistance
• Work-Life Balance Flexible Scheduling
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Paid Parental and Bereavement Leave

What We Value

• Creativity and innovation in solving challenges
• Integrity and responsibility in all actions
• Collaboration across teams and specialties
• Responsiveness in fast-paced environments
• Passion for national security and excellence

Experiences and Background We Look For

• Required Skills: Proficient theoretical understanding of laser physics, optics, and design approaches
  Demonstrated capability in hardware build and test
  Experience in the execution of DoD funded research and development programs
  Appreciation of both technical and business constraints for development projects
  Intellectual curiosity and desire for continuous learning
  Entrepreneurial spirit
  Quickly understands overall project objectives and selects best suited solutions
  Skilled and innovative problem solver
  Works well independently and as part of a team
  Strong work ethic
  Detail oriented
  Inquisitive and provides critical review of technical work by peers
  Responsive to technical questions and review from peers and technical management
  Comfortable in adapting to support a wide variety of roles to support different types of laser, lidar, and optical system development projects
  Proficient use of standard MS Office software (Word, PowerPoint, Excel)
  Proficient in use of standard electrical and optical test equipment operation (e.g. oscilloscopes, signal generators, laser sources, spectrometers, detectors, etc.)
  Proficient in Matlab, Mathematica, Python, or other scientific computing language
  Possesses basic understanding of optical detectors and radiometry
  Capable of developing models and simulations of laser dynamics to support optical designs
  Capable of developing code to process collected sensor data
  Independently perform research of available literature to fill in knowledge gaps as needed
• Nice To Have: Remote sensing systems (visible, IR, lidar)
  Experience with COMSOL, Zemax, Ansys, Solidworks, CREO, or other design software
  Active security clearance