Optical Engineer (Space Communications)

Location: Onsite in Broomfield, Colorado, United States; travel up to 5%.

Salary: $116,736–$152,250 base salary per year, plus bonus, equity, and benefits.

Company

hirify.global is a quantum technology company developing integrated computing, networking, sensing, and security solutions; Skyloom, an hirify.global company, develops space-based optical telecommunications infrastructure.

What you will do

• Lead the full lifecycle of optical systems, from conceptualization and simulation through detailed design and prototyping.
• Design free-space optical communication systems and high-speed laser applications.
• Use optical design software to optimize manufacturing and alignment tolerances, wavefront error, radiometric performance, far-field propagation, and fiber coupling efficiency.
• Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software, and controls engineers to integrate optical subsystems into spacecraft and ground-based platforms.
• Develop optomechanical design and analysis strategies, including structural-thermal-optical performance analysis for space environments.
• Maintain technical documentation, test procedures, and design analyses while mentoring cross-functional peers.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or higher in optics, mechanical engineering, electrical engineering, telecommunications engineering, physics, or a related technical field.
• Proven experience designing optical systems, particularly for space-based or high-precision optical instruments.
• Extensive experience with optical design software such as ZEMAX and mechanical design tools such as SolidWorks or Siemens NX.
• Must meet U.S. export-control and ITAR requirements through U.S. Person status or eligibility to obtain the required authorizations.

Nice to have

• Experience designing optics for space-flight systems or astronomy.
• Experience working in an ISO 5–ISO 8 cleanroom environment.
• Spanish language skills.

Culture & Benefits

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
• Matching 401(k), unlimited paid time off, and paid holidays.
• Parental and adoption leave, legal insurance, and a home technology stipend.
• Work culture centered on autonomy, productivity, respect, inclusion, and equal opportunity.