Optical Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Job ID: 2615375

Location: Denver, CO, US

Date Posted: 2026-08-07

Category: Engineering and Sciences

Subcategory: Mod/Sim Analyst

Schedule: Full-Time

Shift: Day Job

Travel: Yes - 10% of the time

Minimum Clearance Required: TS.SCI

Clearance Level Must Be Able to Obtain: TS/SCI with Poly

Potential for Remote Work: ORA_ON_SITE

Description

SAIC is seeking a senior Multi-Disciplinary Optical Engineer to join the Space and Intelligence Business Group. You would work on a joint Intelligence Community (IC) and Department of Defense (DoD) crown jewel program providing highly specialized space/counter-space engineering, scientific, and analytical services from Aurora/Denver, Colorado. We support the Nation’s leading-edge IC and DoD space programs and offer compelling, deep-technical work that has direct influence and impact on program development and operations. Our team has Subject Matter Experts (SMEs) across a variety of disciplines, including physics, math, RF, optics, space acquisition and operations, and intelligence collection and analysis.

The Senior Optical Project Engineer will work in a collaborative team-focused environment of U.S. Government civilians and contractors solving applied technical problems and developing usable solutions for multiple space-related capabilities and threats. 

The ideal candidate will have knowledge and experience with the performance of:

• Ground or space-based optical or laser systems, the fields of photonics or optoelectronics, space object optical characterization, or optical data processing techniques. 
•  Optical systems in Space Domain Awareness (SDA) applications. 
• Conduct projects focused on program-specific analysis, foreign threat capabilities and development, and phenomenology research. 
• Have experience generating new satellite models or adapting existing mission partner models for on-orbit simulation scenarios.  
• Be fluent with the synthesis and application of space object optical/electro-optical (EO) signatures.  
• Create/understand EO sensor models, lighting and environmental effects to simulate the space object detection, feature discrimination, and/or characterization by SDA systems.
• Be able to design, develop, and quantify results for satellite simulations that accurately represent the system state and have familiarity with post-processing techniques of optical sensor data that extract additional insights or translate the data into operationally relevant information.
• Possess knowledge of optical systems and their use in SDA. 
• Have experience with modeling and simulation of optical and laser systems such as LEEDR, HardShell or Helios. 
• Be motivated by problem solving and developing a range of solutions, over system development.
• This position qualifies for enhanced benefits.
   

Duties and responsibilities include: 

• Perform program-specific analyses, understand foreign threat capabilities and development, and conduct optical and laser phenomenology research.
• Perform rapid prototyping of optical modeling and simulation tools of various fidelities.
• Design and edit satellite models and optical simulations to inform analyses and trade studies related to operational scenarios.
• Develop estimates of space object optical signatures using physics-based methods or via similarity to existing data.
• Develop and refine innovative concepts for space laser systems and architectures, knowledge of advanced engineering principles and state-of-the-art technology.[DO1.1].
• Create system Concept of Operations (CONOPS), considering operational trade-offs, environmental effects, and mission requirements.
• Conduct detailed assessments and analysis of space laser system performance, focusing on rigorous link budget modeling, system efficiencies, and platform-specific trade-offs.[DO2.1].
• Ability to conduct link budget analysis, considering various system and operational parameters. Evaluate the impacts of different modulation techniques,  and photonics technologies on overall system performance.
• Simulate SDA data of space objects that represent the sensor system’s spatial, spectral, and other capabilities under representative seeing conditions.
• Quantify impacts and sensitivity to changes in CONOPS, scenarios and/or threats.  
• Develop and brief analytical results for stand-alone and broader assessment products.  
• Achieve detailed understanding of multiple satellite systems, designs, operations, and classifications in order to make design or CONOPS recommendations.  
• Develop and maintain in-depth knowledge of U.S. and Foreign SDA optical capabilities.  
• Frequently interact with program managers, SETAs, FFRDCs and external stakeholders.  
• Develop productive relationships with the Program Office, Prime, and Subcontract counterparts, functional IC or DoD counterparts, and other SMEs.

Qualifications

•  Minimum of a bachelor’s degree in Optics, Planetary Science, Astronomy, Pphysics, Engineering, or Math, or related field and 14 or more years 14 or more with a Masters, 9 or more with a PhD) of direct experience.  
• Active TS/SCI Clearance with Special Access eligibility and consent to a Counter Intelligence (CI) polygraph. US Citizenship is required
• Experience with ground or space-based optical or laser systems, the fields of photonics or optoelectronics, space object optical characterization or data processing techniques. 
• Understanding material properties, and component characteristics to determine performance, susceptibilities, and operational reliability. 
• Experience with project or task technical leadership.  
• Experience with JIRA project management tool and familiarity with Agile concepts.
• Understanding of fundamentals of astrodynamics and space systems. 
• Knowledge of space system acquisitions or space technology developments.
• Demonstrated record of effective individual and group work behaviors, with abilities to proactively initiate and operate in dynamic and incompletely defined environments.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills with experience conveying technical concepts, results, and summaries to internal customers, external customers, and stakeholders of diverse technical backgrounds.

Strongly Desired Skills:

• Master’s degree in Optics, Planetary science, Astronomy, Physics, Engineering, Math, or related field Physics, Engineering, or Mathematics. 
• Familiarity or experience with optical systems in Space Domain Awareness (SDA) applications. 
• Working knowledge of laser propagation, atm atmospheric scattering, and laser communication modulation formats and techniques. 
• Experience with optical communications and space hardware testing including development of testbeds, ground support test equipment, test programs and management of test program execution for lasercom, component, units, subsystems or systems. 
• Familiarity with National Security Space architecture (IC and/or DoD). 
• Familiarity with US Intelligence Community IC resources and products. 
• Fluent in specialized software tools or scripting languages relevant for space systems, such as MATLAB, Python, C++, or Zemax and MODTRAN. 
• Experience modeling optical systems in STK. 
• Previous experience with laser communications hardware and systems. 
• Experience performing atmospheric transmission modelling.