Spacecraft represent the most pressing unmet need across the entire aerospace industry. As more launch vehicles come online and the cost to orbit decreases, more companies launching payloads to space continue to emerge.

For the first time in history, this influx of payload companies combined with reduced launch costs has resulted in a massive increase in need for commercial spacecraft platforms, known as satellite buses. These buses hold the payloads of our customers and are flown on launch vehicles.

Apex manufactures these satellite buses at scale using a combination of software, vertical integration, and hardware that is designed for manufacturing. Our spacecraft enable the future of society: ranging from earth observation to communications and more.

We’d love for you to join us on our mission of providing humankind access to the galaxy beyond our planet. 

About the Role

As the first Apex Optical Engineer, you will be the founding team member responsible for defining the future of free-space optical systems for the company. You will be the visionary for optical imaging and tracking systems to solve mission-critical challenges for the space industry. You will architect Apex designs and builds reliable, efficient systems that meet our production quality and cost targets for mass-manufactured satellite buses that enable access to Earth orbits and beyond.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Apply optics and photonics knowledge to optical system development, including design, analysis, and validation

• Represent the optical system in program-level, cross-disciplinary trades and issue resolution

• Define requirements for high-performant optical systems in challenging environmental conditions

• Lead optical architecture definition through internal trade studies, concept of operations definition, and risk reduction testing

• Participate in verification testing, including environmental qualification, performance characterization, reliability testing, and fault injection testing

• Define and lead ground and on-orbit testing of optical experiments to rapidly develop designs

• Review test data and lead anomaly investigation and resolution

• Maintain and communicate design specifications and system capabilities data

• Interface with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure final designs can be manufactured in accordance with overall project goals

• Collaborate with software and automation teams to develop tools and protocols for automated optical testing

• Be the primary owner for optical system reliability and risk discussions with internal reliability teams, management, customers, and vendors

BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree in physics, computer science, electrical engineering, or other engineering/STEM discipline

• 5+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience in optics, photonics, laser technology, or precision mechanical design or testing (university lab, student project, or internship experience qualifies)

• 1+ years of experience in a computer programming language (e.g. C++, MATLAB, and/or Python)

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:

• Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline

• Proficiency with optical analysis tools such as Zemax

• Hands-on experience in optical design or system design, integration, and test of optical imaging and tracking systems

• Knowledge of and experience in lasers, photodiodes, fiber optics, optics testing/troubleshooting techniques, and signal integrity principles

• Knowledge of and experience in free-space optical principles, optical component testing/troubleshooting techniques, precision metrology techniques, manufacturing, and integration processes

• Experience leading development of optical imaging products from design to manufacturing

• Experience with hardware development for high-reliability applications

• Experience with pointing, acquisition, and tracking

• Ability to assess risk and make design and development decisions without all available data

• Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously driven, and demanding atmosphere

• Competence with optical test equipment (power meters, interferometer, laser sources)

• Experience with infrared and visible range system alignment and characterization

• Competence with Python scripting and a Linux operating system environment

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills

Why Join Apex?

Apex believes in creating a work environment that you look forward to embracing every day. Our employees love working at Apex, and we want you to love it too. We're a fast-growing startup backed by $200M in Series D funding, and we invest heavily in our people from day one.

What We Offer For Fu