Lasercom Engineer (Optical Communications)

Location: Culver City, California, USA; onsite. Relocation assistance to Los Angeles is available.

Company

hirify.global is a seed-stage aerospace company building a high-throughput point-to-point data transport network in space using free-space laser links between Medium Earth Orbit and ground terminals.

What you will do

• Own a distinct link in the optical chain from concept through first light.
• Design and model optical subsystems against system-level targets.
• Build, characterize, debug, and validate optical hardware and laboratory test setups.
• Define interfaces and integration constraints across optical, electrical, and mechanical systems.
• Retire high-risk assumptions through analysis, prototyping, and testing.
• Set and document technical direction with incomplete data.

Requirements

• Degree in physics, optical engineering, electrical engineering, or a related technical field.
• Hands-on laboratory experience in optics, photonics, lasers, or precision optical hardware.
• Strong fundamentals in optics and photonics, with the ability to reason about an end-to-end link.
• Programming experience for modeling, analysis, or testing using Python, MATLAB, or similar tools.
• Comfort making sound technical decisions with incomplete data.
• Relevant experience may include free-space optics, laser communications, coherent optical communications, DSP, FEC, PAT, atmospheric optical effects, Zemax, Code V, or optical hardware integration.

Nice to have

• Experience with FRED.
• Experience taking optical hardware from prototype through integration, environmental testing, or field deployment.
• Background in terrestrial high-data-rate telecommunications, transceivers, modems, or coherent DSP.

Culture & Benefits

• Seed-stage environment focused on first light for a single-route demonstrator.
• Direct ownership of hardware and technical decisions without a program office or requirements team.
• Company stock options included in compensation for full-time employees.
• Medical, vision, and dental insurance with significant company contribution.
• Paid parental leave, flexible PTO, three weeks of accrued vacation, and ten company holidays annually.
• Dedicated equipment and laboratory budget.