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Weekend Optical Engineer Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Ephemeris Net

Optical Engineer

El Segundo, CA · On-site

$160K - $250K/yr

The Role We are looking for an Optical Engineer to own the design, build, test, and flight of the optical systems that move data through the Ephemeris Net network, including coherent optical ...

AURA

Senior Optical Engineer

Boulder, CO · On-site

$134K - $169K/yr

The Senior Optical Engineer for ngGONG plays a central role in shaping the optical performance of the National Solar Observatory's Next-Generation Global Observing Network Group (ngGONG). This ...

Apple

Optical Engineer

Cupertino, CA

$147.40K - $272.10K/yr

Description As an optical engineer focused on novel instrumentations, you will be responsible for designing and developing industry leading optical instruments for metrology systems. These optical ...

Acme Corporation

Optical Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$142K - $183.80K/yr

This optical engineer will be responsible for the design, tolerancing, manufacturing support, and testing design of systems. Will support product development and OEM business.

Ametek

MTS Optical Engineer

Denville, NJ · On-site

$123.70K - $160.20K/yr

As an Optical Engineer, you will execute optical designs per specification to provide state-of-the-art optical solutions to meet the demands of and provide solutions to our customers. KEY ...

Rigaku

Optical Engineer

Auburn Hills, MI

$122.10K - $158K/yr

POSITION SUMMARY Optical Engineer working at RIT is responsible for developing precision optics technology and precision optics technology-based X-ray optics. These include the development of ...

OMNIVISION

Optical Engineer

Santa Clara, CA

$120.60K - $200.20K/yr

The Sr/Staff/Principal Optical Engineer works in an aggressive, fast-paced R&D environment to develop and design optical structure to improve image sensor performance. Responsibilities: * Design ...

IDEX

Optical Engineer

Longmont, CO · On-site

$127.50K - $165.10K/yr

Achieving our strategic intent will require best in class optical design engineering expertise in support of our customers and their mission critical, innovative needs. In support of this strategy ...

Acme Corporation

Optical Engineer

Manhattan, NY · On-site

$142K - $183.80K/yr

This optical engineer will be responsible for the design, tolerancing, manufacturing support, and testing design of systems. Will support product development and OEM business.

Foxconn Industrial Internet

Senior Optical Engineer

Houston, TX · On-site

$123.20K - $159.50K/yr

We are seeking a Senior Optical Engineer to join our Optical NPI team to support the development and scaling of next-generation optical switch products from New Product Introduction (NPI) through ...

MicroVision

Staff Optical Engineer

Orlando, FL · Hybrid

$120.40K - $155.90K/yr

As a key member of MicroVision's Optical Systems Engineering team, you will collaborate with various technical teams in the company to design and take into production market defining Automotive LiDAR ...

Lockheed Martin Corporation

Optical Engineer

Orlando, FL

$120.40K - $155.90K/yr

Lockheed Martin's MFC Business Area is looking for an optical engineer to support the Orlando, FL location. We are looking for an immediate start date but are willing to wait until early 2027 for a ...

SN-Scientific Networking

Optical Engineer

Bodega Bay, CA

$153.10K - $198.20K/yr

In this role, you will serve as a senior optical network engineer within ESnet's Network Services group, with primary responsibility to apply a wide-range of expertise to the design, deployment, and ...

Astrion

Optical Engineer

Mountain View, CA · On-site

$152.10K - $196.90K/yr

Overview Optical Engineer LOCATION: Mountain View, CA JOB STATUS: Full-time CERTIFICATION: N/A TRAVEL: Limited; as needed US Citizen ONLY Astrion is seeking an Optical Engineer, with either an active ...

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Weekend Optical Engineer information

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$83K

$143.6K

$168.5K

How much do weekend optical engineer jobs pay per year?

As of Jun 2, 2026, the average yearly pay for weekend optical engineer in the United States is $143,611.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $129,000.00 and $167,000.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

Are optical engineers in demand?

Optical engineers are in demand due to their expertise in designing and developing optical systems for industries such as telecommunications, healthcare, and defense. The field requires strong technical skills, knowledge of optics and photonics, and often a relevant degree or certification, with employment opportunities expected to grow as technology advances.

What is the difference between Weekend Optical Engineer vs Part-Time Optical Technician?

AspectWeekend Optical EngineerPart-Time Optical Technician
CredentialsBachelor's degree in optics, physics, or engineering; relevant certificationsHigh school diploma or associate degree; technical certifications preferred
Work EnvironmentOptical labs, research facilities, or manufacturing plants, primarily on weekendsOptical retail stores, labs, or clinics, often in retail hours
Employer & IndustryOptical manufacturing companies, research institutionsOptical retail stores, healthcare providers
Work ScheduleWeekend shifts, part-time hours, project-basedPart-time, flexible hours, often weekends or evenings

The Weekend Optical Engineer typically requires a higher level of technical education and works in specialized environments like labs or manufacturing facilities. In contrast, the Part-Time Optical Technician often works in retail or healthcare settings with more flexible hours. Both roles may involve optical device handling but differ in scope, environment, and credentials.

More about Weekend Optical Engineer jobs
What cities are hiring for Weekend Optical Engineer jobs? Cities with the most Weekend Optical Engineer job openings:
What are the most commonly searched types of Optical Engineer jobs? The most popular types of Optical Engineer jobs are:
What states have the most Weekend Optical Engineer jobs? States with the most job openings for Weekend Optical Engineer jobs include:
What job categories do people searching Weekend Optical Engineer jobs look for? The top searched job categories for Weekend Optical Engineer jobs are:
Weekend Optical Engineer jobs near you
Infographic showing various Weekend Optical Engineer job openings in the United States as of May 2026, with employment types broken down into 98% Full Time, 1% Part Time, and 1% Nights. Highlights an 96% Physical, 1% Hybrid, and 3% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $143,611 per year, or $69 per hour.

Optical Engineer

Ephemeris Net

El Segundo, CA • On-site

$160K - $250K/yr

Full-time

Medical, Retirement, PTO

Posted 6 days ago

Job description

About Ephemeris Net
We are extending the internet to space.
Ephemeris Net is a pre-seed space networking company on a mission to provide connectivity for all space users through collaborative engineering of commercial space networking solutions. We are creating the infrastructure that will enable the space internet beyond bent pipe by laying the foundational networking infrastructure that will define how data moves through space.
We are supported by our parent incubator Second Order Effects, institutional VCs, and our network of space advisors. As space use scales and more space native networks come online, we believe that now is the chance to build foundational infrastructure for how the internet will work in space.
The Role
We are looking for an Optical Engineer to own the design, build, test, and flight of the optical systems that move data through the Ephemeris Net network, including coherent optical transceivers and the free-space optical assembly that pairs with it.
You will own optical hardware end to end, across both the transceiver and the free-space link. On the transceiver side, this is the fiber optical signal chain: optical modulators, optical hybrids, photodiodes, lasers, fiber splitters, beam splitters. On the free-space side, this includes telescopes/beam expanders, lenses, mirrors and involves ray tracing, tolerancing, and stray light analysis required to close link budgets in orbit. You will be supported by the electrical engineering team for optoelectronic design and a mechanical team for opto-mechanical structure. You will build and fly some of the most sensitive optical hardware ever deployed in space and then scale it to mass manufacturing.
This role will report to the CTO and founder, Nicolas Brown.
Key Responsibilities
Optical System Design & Build
  • Design and assemble coherent transceiver optics from components: optical modulators, optical hybrids, photodetectors
  • Design the free-space optical assembly including optical design and ray tracing: tolerancing, ghost analysis, and stray light analysis to close on-orbit link budgets
  • Design the fiber optical layout, including alignment fixtures and opto-mechanical packaging
  • Own the transmit and receive signal chain performance from RF electrical output through free-space launch and from free-space back to RF electrical

Test & Characterization
  • Develop and execute bench-level test plans for the transceiver and free-space assembly: modulation quality (EVM, constellation diagrams), wavefront quality, noise figure, bandwidth, optical power budgets, thermalization
  • Characterize coherent detection performance: receiver sensitivity, common-mode rejection, and phase noise
  • Verify free-space optical performance: wavefront error, encircled energy, pointing stability, stray light rejection

What We're Looking For
Minimum Qualifications
  • Bachelor's degree in optical engineering, applied physics, photonics, electrical engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
  • 4+ years of hands-on experience designing or building robust, precision electro-optical instruments in fiber, free space, or both
  • Working knowledge of one or more areas: coherent detection architectures (IQ modulation/demodulation, balanced detection, optical hybrid operation), free-space optical design (ray tracing, tolerancing, stray light), or laser and fiber systems at the component level
  • Proficiency with optical instrumentation (OSAs, power meters, interferometers, collimated beams, wavefront sensors, beam profilers) and RF and microwave test equipment (network analyzers, spectrum analyzers, high-speed oscilloscopes)
  • Ability to obtain and maintain a security clearance

Preferred Qualifications
  • Experience with optical design and ray tracing software including stray light and ghost analysis
  • Experience designing telescopes, beam expanders, or pointing and tracking optical paths with cameras
  • Familiarity with space-qualified hardware design, environmental testing (thermal, vibration, radiation), or flight heritage optical systems
  • Experience specifying analog PCB requirements for high-bandwidth RF signal chains (TIA, driver amplifiers, bias networks)
  • Active security clearance

What We Offer
Compensation and Benefits:
  • Salary: $160,000 - $250,000, based on experience
  • Generous equity package (early team member level)
  • 401k program
  • Comprehensive health care coverage
  • Unlimited PTO (we expect you to take at least 4 weeks per year, and leadership does the same)

Work Environment:
  • Hybrid work model: 3 days per week in our office/lab based on project needs
    • During critical phases: When we are in integration, test, or launch prep mode, expect to be in the office more frequently for coordination with the mission team
  • Expected travel: Up to 25% (customer meetings, supplier visits, launch campaign, partner sites, integration sites, other Ephemeris offices)
  • Small team environment
  • Autonomy and space to define how we work and execute.

The Opportunity
  • Build something that does not exist yet: The unique aspects of this optical system mean it is impossible to buy off the shelf
  • Bench to orbit: Your hardware will fly. You will take this from optics on a breadboard to a space-qualified optical terminal
  • Build the space internet: Work on technology that will fundamentally change how space networks operate

Our Vision and Values
Ephemeris Net's vision is to enable an open, space internet that anyone can utilize and access.
We believe that access to better digital connectivity is essential for human progress and that space is the frontier of digital connectivity. We believe that collaboration within market competition is the most effective way to expand the internet into space. Using Ephemeris Net to build space network solutions is how we can proliferate digital connectivity, collaboration, and "the raising of all boats" while achieving a commercial impact.
We care deeply about:
  • Access to connectivity for all
  • Collaboration that raises all boats; we focus on win/win deals
  • Commercial impact: building solutions people value and buy
  • Personal growth and creating a place where people build their careers
  • Putting good out into the world through the work we do and our interactions with each other

We are building a company people feel great about working at. We are seeking people who are open and actively seeking growth-both technical and personal. We value honesty, creativity, and a culture of ownership.
About Our Locations
El Segundo, CA: Located in the heart of the aerospace industry, surrounded by SpaceX, Aerospace Corporation, Northrop Grumman, and hundreds of space startups. A unique ecosystem where strangers on the street are excited about space.
Oakland, CA: Right off BART. Close collaboration opportunities with UC Berkeley and the broader Bay Area networking and space research communities.
Ephemeris Net is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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