{"id":4209029,"url":"https://alion.io/job/clera-senior-optical-engineer-rd-4","title":"Senior Optical Engineer, R&D","company":{"id":2706,"name":"Clera","domain":"getclera.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/clera","size_band":"11-50","is_staffing_agency":true,"employer_type":"agency","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":80,"open_postings":40,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":1,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":6,"computed_at":"2026-11-12T10:38:37Z"}},"role":"Semiconductors","role_family":"Semiconductors","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["San Francisco, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":150000,"max":200000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":200000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":true,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-12T17:25:05Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-12","last_verified_at":"2026-11-13T07:00:42Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":0,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":0},"description":"About the Role\nLead optical system design and technical investigations for a defense technology platform developing autonomous directed-energy systems. You will partner with mechanical and electrical engineers to turn optical designs into robust hardware.\nWhat You'll Do\nLead optical design and analysis for core system components.\n\nRun optical investigations and trade studies to guide system-level design decisions.\n\nSpecify and evaluate optical components and subsystem architectures.\n\nCollaborate with mechanical engineers on optical packaging, housing, and integration.\n\nPerform tolerance analysis, validate performance, and guide design iterations.\n\nLead alignment, characterization, and testing of integrated optical systems.\n\nWork with vendors and fabricators on manufacturability, tolerancing, and feasibility.\n\nEstablish best practices for optical development, validation, and technical documentation.\n\nWhat We're Looking For\n5 to 10 or more years of experience in optical engineering, optical design, or related physics-based systems work.\n\nExperience designing and analyzing optical systems built and operated as real hardware, including alignment, characterization, and hands-on debugging.\n\nAbility to lead optical investigations and trade studies, apply optical theory from first principles, and make system-level design decisions.\n\nExperience with optical component selection, vendor collaboration, tolerance analysis, and performance validation.\n\nMechanical fluency for effective collaboration on packaging and integration.\n\nExperience with high-power laser optics, ruggedized beam delivery, beam directors, collimators, fast steering mirrors, adaptive optics, or laser communications is relevant.\n\nFamiliarity with Zemax/OpticStudio or Code V and approximately 1 micron Yb fiber laser systems is useful.\n\nBachelor's or master's degree in optical engineering, physics, mechanical engineering, or a related field.\n\nCompensation & Benefits\nBase salary: $150,000 to $200,000 annually. 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