Payload Alignment Lead

Payload Alignment Lead

Requirements

• Advanced degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related field
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in optical payload design and alignment for space applications
• Extensive knowledge of interferometry, wavefront sensing, and other optical alignment techniques
• Familiarity with space-grade optical systems, including mirrors, lenses, and sensors
• Experience with optical modeling software and analysis tools
• Strong project management and leadership skills
• Excellent communication abilities to interface with diverse teams and stakeholders

Responsibilities

• Define and establish alignment requirements for the entire optical system
• Develop and manage alignment budgets, including tolerance analysis, loss calculations and 1G effects
• Create comprehensive alignment procedures and performance qualification plans
• Implement alignment techniques to achieve sub-micron precision
• Develop automation strategies for alignment processes to reduce cycle times and improve repeatability
• Select appropriate alignment equipment and methodologies
• Lead the design and implementation of optical alignment instrumentation and systems
• Oversee the alignment process for all optical components, including primary mirror, secondary mirror, other optics and sensor systems
• Design and implement alignment solutions for complex aspheric surfaces and off-axis optical systems
• Create automated alignment workflows to accelerate integration timelines by 30-50%
• Work closely with multidisciplinary teams, including system architect, opto-mechanical, electrical, and systems engineers
• Coordinate with external suppliers and stakeholders to ensure alignment goals are met
• Integrate alignment processes with overall spacecraft systems and mission requirements
• Develop transition plans from alignment lab to production environment to maintain precision while meeting schedule demands
• Develop and execute acceptance test procedures for end-to-end system performance
• Perform or guide electro-optical characterization of imaging sensors
• Conduct environmental testing to validate alignment stability under space conditions
• Implement automated data collection and analysis systems for real-time alignment verification
• Develop production-friendly validation protocols that maintain precision while reducing testing time

Preferred Qualifications

No preferred qualifications provided.