Principal Optical Engineer (EO/IR)

Location: Onsite at the Optical Systems site in Tucson, Arizona, United States

Company

hirify.global is an end-to-end space company building rockets, spacecraft, payloads, and critical subsystems for commercial, civil, and national security missions.

What you will do

• Model, simulate, prototype, and characterize advanced EO/IR payloads for defense space missions.
• Develop detection and calibration algorithms for optical systems throughout the product lifecycle.
• Simulate radiometric, detector, and optical prescription behavior across electro-optical payloads.
• Guide and author data collection and analysis software, and collaborate with firmware, electronics, optical, mechanical, and systems engineering teams.
• Investigate and troubleshoot technical issues in laboratory and field environments, resolving engineering and integration problems.
• Communicate with project management, customers, and cross-functional project personnel while tracking assigned tasks and schedules.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• U.S. citizenship and the ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance are required.
• 12+ years of experience in optical systems development, performance modelling, and data analysis.
• Hands-on experience with optical alignment, metrology, interferometry, imaging-system characterization, electro-optical systems, light sources, or military and space payloads.
• Strong data analysis, troubleshooting, and problem-solving skills.
• Working knowledge of MATLAB, Python, Zemax or similar optical modelling software, and FRED.

Nice to have

• Master’s degree or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related field.
• Experience with EO/IR payloads, infrared focal planes, or space-based sensor systems.
• Experience with stray-light design and analysis for visible and infrared systems.
• Experience writing alignment procedures, test scripts, verification plans, or working with automated test equipment and optical STE.
• Active TS/SCI U.S. Government security clearance.

Culture & Benefits

• Work on first-of-the-kind optical technologies supporting national defense space missions.
• Collaborate across optical, mechanical, electrical, firmware, systems engineering, and proposal teams.
• Operate in a fast-paced environment focused on challenging projects, tight deadlines, and practical delivery.
• The role may involve prolonged sitting, standing, walking, and computer work, with occasional exposure to moderate noise, dust, and fumes in production areas.
• U.S. office roles are subject to ITAR eligibility requirements.