{"id":1159611,"url":"https://alion.io/job/northrop-grumman-principal-optical-engineer-3-2","title":"Principal Optical Engineer - 3","company":{"id":12494,"name":"Northrop Grumman","domain":"northropgrumman.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/northropgrumman","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"A","score":87,"open_postings":565,"ghost_share":0.002,"stale_share":0.688,"repost_share":0.016,"time_to_fill_p50_days":13,"computed_at":"2026-10-20T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Chandler, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":108200,"max":162400,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":162400},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":5,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"SolidWorks","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-09-21T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-16","last_verified_at":"2026-10-21T01:29:52Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":30,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":30},"description":"RELOCATION ASSISTANCE: Relocation assistance may be availableCLEARANCE REQUIRED FOR START: YesCLEARANCE TYPE: SecretTRAVEL: Yes, 10% of the TimeDescription\nAt Northrop Grumman, our employees have incredible opportunities to work on revolutionary systems that impact people's lives around the world today, and for generations to come. Our pioneering and inventive spirit has enabled us to be at the forefront of many technological advancements in our nation's history - from the first flight across the Atlantic Ocean, to stealth bombers, to landing on the moon. We look for people who have bold new ideas, courage and a pioneering spirit to join forces to invent the future, and have fun along the way. Our culture thrives on intellectual curiosity, cognitive diversity and bringing your whole self to work - and we have an insatiable drive to do what others think is impossible. Our employees are not only part of history, they're making history.Northrop Grumman Space Systems is looking for a Principal Optical Engineer to support the Electro-Optics Group within the Launch Vehicles business unit in Chandler, Arizona.\nYou will work as part of a multi-disciplinary seeker engineering team responsible for optical design, analysis, integration, and test of development and flight hardware. The role is centered on optical engineering for imaging and sensing systems (visible through LWIR), with an emphasis on how opto-mechanical design and environments drive optical performance.\nResponsibilities\nContribute to the design and analysis of optical systems for imaging and sensing applications (e.g., refractive/reflective optics, relay optics, athermalized systems, objective lenses).\nPerform optical performance analyses (e.g., wavefront error, MTF, line-of-sight (LOS) stability, boresight, sensitivity, and tolerancing) across expected environmental and operational conditions.\nDevelop and maintain optical error budgets, including contributions from alignment, manufacturing tolerances, thermal and structural effects, and line-of-sight stability.\nPerform Structurally Induced Line of Sight (SILOS) analysis in collaboration with structural and thermal analysts to ensure optical performance is maintained through the full mission profile.\nDefine optical requirements and allocate tolerances at the system, subsystem, and component levels; flow requirements to optomechanical design and manufacturing.\nCollaborate closely with opto-mechanical, systems, electrical, and manufacturing engineers to ensure that optical designs are realizable, producible, and testable.\nGuide and review the development of optomechanical designs (mounts, cells, structures) that support optical alignment, stability, and environmental robustness.\nDevelop and review parametric 3D CAD models, detailed drawings, and associated documentation that fully capture opto-mechanical requirements and constraints.\nSupport and sometimes lead laboratory and environmental test activities, including optical alignment, calibration, performance verification, and correlation of analysis to test (vibration, thermal, shock, etc.).\nParticipate in design reviews (internal and customer), presenting optical design concepts, analyses, error budgets, and test results to stakeholders.\nAssist with troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and design updates for prototype and production hardware when optical performance issues are identified.\nBasic Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or related discipline from an accredited university and 5 years of relevant experience; or a Master’s degree and 3 years of experience; or a PhD and 1 year of experience.\nActive U.S. Government - Secret security clearance at time of application.\nDemonstrated experience with optical systems used in imaging, sensing, or seeker applications (may include internships, projects, or early-career roles).\nExperience with optical performance analysis and an understanding of how structural and thermal environments affect imaging quality and line of sight (e.g., STOP/SILOS concepts).\nProficiency with optical modeling tools (e.g., ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, or equivalent) for design, analysis, and tolerancing.\nExperience with 3D CAD tools (e.g., CREO, NX, SolidWorks) to interface effectively with opto-mechanical designs; ANSYS Mechanical experience preferred.\nExperience with optical imaging systems in one or more spectral bands (e.g., visible, NIR, SWIR, MWIR, LWIR).\nDemonstrated problem-solving skills for complex optical/optomechanical challenges in a project environment.\nStrong technical communication skills, including the ability to generate clear documentation and present optical design/analysis results to technical and non-technical audiences.\nPreferred Qualifications\nMS or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or Mechanical Engineering with a focus on optical systems.\nPrevious experience with DoD missile defense or seeker programs, including familiarity with performance verification frameworks, environmental qualification, and flight test correlation.\nHands-on experience with STOP and SILOS modeling workflows and integration of structural/thermal results with optical design tools.\nExperience with missile systems, seeker systems, or other high-reliability, environmentally challenging electro-optical applications.\nPrevious experience or knowledge of DoD missile defense programs and associated standards.\nDeep experience with EO systems, including optical design, analysis and tolerancing, stray-light control, error budgets, radiometric budgets, opto-mechanical design, and focal plane technologies.\nProficiency with optical design tools such as ZEMAX, Code V, FRED, and mechanical/optomechanical CAD tools such as NX and SolidWorks.\nExperience planning and executing optical and environmental test campaigns and correlating measured optical performance to predictive analyses.\n#AZSpace #SpaceEngJobs #SPEnhancedERAP\nPrimary Level Salary Range: $108,200.00 - $162,400.00The above salary range represents a general guideline; however, Northrop Grumman considers a number of factors when determining base salary offers such as the scope and responsibilities of the position and the candidate's experience, education, skills and current market conditions.Depending on the position, employees may be eligible for overtime, shift differential, and a discretionary bonus in addition to base pay. Annual bonuses are designed to reward individual contributions as well as allow employees to share in company results. Employees in Vice President or Director positions may be eligible for Long Term Incentives. In addition, Northrop Grumman provides a variety of benefits including health insurance coverage, life and disability insurance, savings plan, Company paid holidays and paid time off (PTO) for vacation and/or personal business.The application period for the job is estimated to be 20 days from the job posting date. However, this timeline may be shortened or extended depending on business needs and the availability of qualified candidates.Northrop Grumman is an Equal Opportunity Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class. For our complete EEO and pay transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. 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