Optical Systems Engineer (Photonics)

Location: Stafford Springs, CT, United States of America; onsite role

Company

hirify.global is a publicly traded US manufacturer of printed circuit boards, RF components, microelectronic assemblies, and mission systems.

What you will do

• Translate functional objectives into optical requirements, system architectures, verification approaches, and interfaces with mechanical, electrical, and control systems.
• Develop and evaluate optical designs using analytical methods and simulation, including ray optics, wave optics, propagation, coupling, imaging, interference, and polarization.
• Build, align, troubleshoot, and characterize optical experiments and prototype systems using appropriate sources, detectors, components, positioning hardware, and instrumentation.
• Develop performance budgets, sensitivity analyses, calibration methods, acceptance criteria, automated measurements, instrument control, signal processing, and data-analysis workflows.
• Collaborate across mechanical, controls, opto-mechanical, process, reliability, manufacturing, vendors, and external specialists to resolve integration and performance issues.
• Prepare specifications, design analyses, test procedures, and technical reports; senior engineers may lead reviews, establish development strategies, mentor others, and provide subject-matter guidance.

Requirements

• B.S. in Optical Engineering, Photonics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a closely related discipline with substantial optics education or practical experience; an advanced degree is valued but not required.
• Relevant experience in optical product development, instrumentation, research, manufacturing technology development, or comparable hands-on engineering; level depends on technical depth, independence, and responsibility rather than a fixed number of years.
• Strong understanding of optical fundamentals and hands-on experience building, aligning, testing, or troubleshooting optical systems.
• Experience with analytical methods, optical simulation, scientific programming, or experimental data analysis.
• Working understanding of mechanical positioning and stability, sensors and actuators, data acquisition, and feedback concepts.
• Ability to distinguish optical behavior from measurement artifacts, identify uncertainties, design resolving experiments, work through incomplete requirements, and revise approaches based on evidence.
• Clear technical communication, reproducible documentation, and commitment to applicable optical and laser safety practices.
• For senior-level opportunities, ability to independently define optical architectures and validation strategies, assess technical risk, and provide cross-disciplinary subject-matter guidance.
• Must comply with TTM export-control policies and applicable ITAR, EAR, and OFAC requirements. Access to ITAR products and related technical data is restricted to US Citizens and US Permanent Residents.

Nice to have

• Experience with fiber optics, waveguides, optical interconnects, free-space optical systems, interferometry, optical sensing, imaging, illumination, polarization, or laser-based instrumentation.
• Experience with Zemax, LightTools, COMSOL, or comparable optical design and simulation tools.
• Scientific programming, instrument control, and data analysis using Python, MATLAB, LabVIEW, or comparable tools.
• Optical alignment automation, machine vision, closed-loop optimization, or analysis of thermal, mechanical, and material effects on optical performance.
• Experience transitioning experimental optical systems into robust products, repeatable test platforms, or manufacturing applications.

Culture & Benefits

• Full-time employment with cross-functional collaboration across engineering and manufacturing disciplines.
• Benefits include medical, dental, vision, 401(k), flexible spending account, health savings account, accident benefits, life insurance, disability benefits, paid vacation, and holidays.
• Benefits become available on the first day of the month following the date of hire.
• Compensation varies by office location, role, skills, and experience; legally required ranges are provided for roles hired in New York, California, and Colorado.