Job Information
Blue Origin LLC Lidar Optical Engineer in Wedgwood, Washington
At Blue Origin, we envision millions of people living and working in space for the benefit of Earth. We're working to develop reusable, safe, and low-cost space vehicles and systems within a culture of safety, collaboration, and inclusion. Join our diverse team of problem solvers as we add new chapters to the history of spaceflight! This role is part of the Lunar Transportation business unit, which develops Blue Origin's multiple Blue Moon lander product lines. To further Blue Origin's mission of having millions of people living and working in space, we are building sustainable infrastructure for our transport of crew and cargo from Earth to the lunar surface. As part of a hardworking team of diverse spacecraft development engineers, you will lead the design of an optical telescope and assembly for use in navigation lidars on a variety of spacecraft and missions. You will participate in the full design life cycle of navigation lidar sensor development, analysis, testing, verification/validation, and flight. You will work closely with the guidance, navigation, and control (GN&C) team to seamlessly integrate the lidar navigation system components with the rest of the GN&C. Your contributions will enable flight of state-of-the-art lunar landers and missions. We are looking for someone to apply their technical expertise, leadership skills, and commitment to quality to positively impact safe spaceflight. Passion for our mission and vision is required! Responsibilities: Lead the optical design process for a navigation lidar telescope and associated optical assemblies through the entire lifecycle: from conceptual design to deployment. Create detailed specifications for electro-optical components, including steering mirrors, fiber positioners, and position-sensitive detectors. Optimize optical coating designs for durability and performance in space, including bandpass filters, dichroic, and polarizing beam splitters. Create detailed lens prescriptions to satisfy the requirements of the lidar system. Establish specifications for optical elements including surface roughness and wavefront performance Execute advanced optical analysis leveraging industry-standard software tools for stray light analysis and Structural-Thermal-Optical-Performance (STOP) analysis. Perform and guide testing and analyses such as flight test, thermal vacuum test, vibration test, etc. to validate top-level system specifications and requirements, and to establish performance specifications of the sensors Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field. 5+ years of optical engineering experience, with a focus on telescopes and electro-optical systems. Proficiency in utilizing optical analysis software and understanding of core optical engineering principles for analyses including ray tracing, throughput, stray light, and STOP analysis. Experience with rapid prototyping and testing of optical systems. Previous involvement in the design and deployment of optical systems for space applications is strongly preferred. Practical experience with lidar development that generates range and Doppler measurements. Desired Qualifications: Master's degree in optical engineering, physics, or related field. 10+ years of optical engineering experience, with a focus on telescopes and electro-optical systems. Advanced working knowledge of optical system simulations and tolerancing. Practical experience with environmental testing and verification of optical components for space. Experience with short-wave infrared (SWIR) systems. Experience with lidar systems for rendezvous, terrain relative navigation, and hazard relative navigation. Familiarity with current trends and technological advances in space optics and lidar systems. Working knowledge of NASA human spaceflight standards. Compensation range for on site