Optical Engineering Manager

The Aerospace Corporation is the trusted partner to the nation’s space programs, solving the hardest problems and providing unmatched technical expertise. As the operator of a federally funded research and development center (FFRDC), we are broadly engaged across all aspects of space— delivering innovative solutions that span satellite, launch, ground, and cyber systems for defense, civil and commercial customers. When you join our team, you’ll be part of a special collection of problem solvers, thought leaders, and innovators. Join us and take your place in space.

At the Mission Payloads Division (MPD), we are pioneers in remote sensing systems that guide our country’s space enterprise. Our talented and dynamic people create and flourish in electronics, sensors, radar, artificial intelligence (AI), and advanced data network domains. We boldly advance technology through our research and development and then forward to demonstration and integration.   With innovative laboratories and prototyping, MPD delivers groundbreaking results. We guide our Department of Defense, intelligence community, and civil clients to enhance national productivity and security and tackle the most critical missions.  Bring your intelligence and creative spirit and join us at MPD!

The Integrated Sensor Design and Analysis Department (ISDAD) resides within MPD offering world-class engineering and scientific leadership in electronics and remote sensing systems. ISDAD staff develop and leverage innovative modeling and simulation to support the acquisition, design, and operation of visible and infrared passive electro-optical remote sensing payloads for national security and civil space customers. Our expertise in design, modeling, simulation, and analysis are augmented by sophisticated in-house laboratories and enable unique approaches to solving the hardest technical problems.

As the Optical Section Manager within ISDAD, you will spearhead technical leadership, mentorship, and career growth for our team members. You will foster their professional development through targeted assignments, mentoring relationships, specialized training, and consistent feedback. Collaborating with the department director, you will contribute to staffing decisions, performance evaluations, and other supervisory responsibilities. By applying engineering principles, you will tackle multifaceted challenges, participate in strategic planning, and provide expert insights on customer projects.

Work Model: The selected candidate will be required to work full time on-site at our facility at El Segundo, CA.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Provide technical leadership, planning, and task execution to support the acquisition, design, and operation of visible and infrared passive electro-optical remote sensing payloads for National Security Space, Civil, and Commercial Customers
• Interact with program offices as the technical point of contact for technical reviews, evaluation of contractor designs, or other modeling and simulation activities that promote the development and analysis of visible and infrared optical systems
• Manage the Electro-Optical Sensor Performance Section, with duties that include coordinating and assigning section work activities, recruiting, hiring, coaching, conducting performance evaluations, allocating and managing resources, and strategic planning
• Develop the section’s skills and capabilities in design, modeling, and performance analysis of sensor optical systems through mentoring and training of staff.  Review work for quality and resolve outstanding technical issues to assure customer satisfaction

What You Need to be Successful – Manager – Optical Engineering

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited program in optics, physics, electrical engineering, or another related discipline
• 5 or more years of increasing, applicable professional or educational experience
• Demonstrated experience using a common processing language (e.g. MATLAB, Python, IDL, C/C++, Fortran) to implement solutions to problems in remote sensing
• Strong analytic problem-solving skills relating to the performance of passive remote sensing electro-optical visible and infrared sensors, including topics such as: radiometry, radiative transfer, wavefront propagation and sensing, diffraction effects, detection theory, sensor performance metrics, and visible and infrared backgrounds
• Familiarity with commercial optical ray trace code such as CodeV, Zemax, or FRED
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to work interactively and effectively with government customers and contractor personnel
• This position requires ability to obtain and maintain a Top Secret/SCI security clearance, which is issued by the U.S. government.