Full Time Steering Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

• Design, implement, and tune adaptive optics control algorithms for high‑energy laser systems, including wavefront correction, beam pointing, and jitter rejection
• Develop control strategies for fast steering mirrors (FSMs) and slow steering mirrors (SSMs), including multi‑loop, multi‑rate, and hierarchical control architectures
• Integrate and commission beam diagnostics and position sensors, such as wavefront sensors, quad cells, high-speed cameras, and wave meters, into real‑time closed‑loop optical control systems
• Design, implement, and validate time‑of‑flight (TOF)–based tracking, synchronization, and timing systems for target insertion, engagement timing, and laser coordination
• Perform system‑level modeling and analysis of optical control performance, including latency, bandwidth, stability margins, noise propagation, and timing error budgets
• Plan and execute laboratory, subsystem, and in‑situ commissioning tests to validate algorithms and control performance against system requirements
• Collaborate with laser physics, optical, mechanical, electrical, and controls teams to define system interfaces, sensor/actuator placement, and operational concepts
• Generate and maintain rigorous technical documentation, including control specifications, algorithm descriptions, requirements, interface definitions, test plans, and validation reports
• Support technical reviews (SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR) with quantitative analysis and experimental data
• Support system commissioning, operations, and iterative performance improvement of deployed optical control systems

• Education: Bachelor's degree or higher in Optical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, Mechatronics, or a closely related field
• Experience: 5+ years of experience in optical systems, control systems, or adaptive optics, with demonstrated hands‑on implementation experience
• Adaptive Optics (AO) experience demonstrated through prior hands‑on experience with:
  • Development and tuning of adaptive optics closed‑loop control systems, including wavefront reconstruction and correction
  • Practical experience with wavefront sensing technologies (e.g., Shack‑Hartmann or equivalent), including calibration, alignment, and noise characterization
  • Design and implementation of real‑time AO control algorithms, with attention to latency, bandwidth, and stability
  • Hands‑on integration and control of fast steering mirrors (FSMs) and slow steering mirrors (SSMs)
  • Ability to model AO system performance end‑to‑end, including sensor noise, actuator dynamics, timing, and control‑law effects
  • Experience validating AO performance through laboratory testing and in‑system commissioning, not simulation alone
  • Strong understanding of beam quality, pointing error, jitter, and wavefront error budgeting
• Strong foundation in control theory, including classical and modern methods applied to real‑time physical systems
• Proficiency with algorithm development and analysis tools such as MATLAB/Simulink, Python, or equivalent numerical environments
• Hands-on experience integrating sensors and actuators into closed‑loop optical or electromechanical control systems
• Ability to work safely in laboratory and industrial environments involving high‑power lasers, high voltage, and precision equipment
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (Green Card holder), or otherwise authorized to work in the United States

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.