
Staff Optomechanical Engineer - 5
Required skills
- DoD Secret security clearance
- optomechanical
- electro-mechanical design
- integration
- structural analysis
- thermal analysis
- optical performance
- STOP
- SILOS
- CAD
Nice to have
- MS/PhD
- missile systems
- seeker systems
- high-reliability applications
- DoD missile defense programs
- EO systems
Role summary
Northrop Grumman Space Systems is seeking a Staff Optomechanical Engineer to join the Electro-Optics Group in Chandler, Arizona. This role involves the mechanical design and analysis of optical assemblies and structures for imaging and sensing systems, ensuring performance in demanding flight and environmental conditions. Responsibilities include performing STOP and SILOS analysis, developing CAD models and drawings, collaborating with cross-functional teams, supporting environmental testing, and leading troubleshooting efforts. The position requires a Bachelor's degree in a related field with 12 years of experience, or equivalent advanced degrees and experience, along with an active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance.
Description
At 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 Staff Optomechanical Engineer to support the Electro-Optics Group within the Launch Vehicles business unit in Chandler, Arizona.
You will work as part of a multi-disciplinary seeker engineering team responsible for design, integration, and testing of development and flight hardware. The role focuses on the mechanical design and analysis of optical assemblies and structures, ensuring robust performance in demanding flight and environmental conditions.
Responsibilities:
- Lead or contribute to the mechanical design of optical assemblies, mounts, and structures for imaging and sensing systems.
- Perform Structural, Thermal, and Optical Performance (STOP) analysis and Structurally Induced Line of Sight (SILOS) analysis to ensure system performance over expected environmental and operational conditions.
- Develop complex 3D CAD models, detailed part/assembly drawings, and associated documentation.
- Work collaboratively with optical, systems, electrical, and manufacturing engineering teams to refine requirements and ensure design feasibility and producibility.
- Support environmental test planning, execution, and correlation of analysis with test results (vibration, thermal, shock, etc.).
- Serve as a reviewer in design reviews and present technical findings and recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
- Lead troubleshooting, root-cause analysis, and design updates for prototype and production hardware.
- Assist with the development and maintenance of error budgets related to optomechanical performance and line-of-sight stability
Basic Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline from an accredited university and 12 years of relevant experience; or a Master’s degree and 10 years of experience; or a PhD and 8 years of experience.
- Active U.S. Government DoD Secret security clearance at time of application, current and within scope.
- Substantial experience with opto-mechanical or precision electro-mechanical design, analysis, and integration.
- Demonstrated skill in structural and thermal analysis methods and their impact on optical performance (e.g., STOP/SILOS concepts); ANSYS preferred.
- Proficiency with 3D CAD tools (e.g., CREO, NX, SolidWorks); NX preferred.
- Knowledge of configuring parametric CAD models in support of Design of Experiment (DOE).
- Experience with optical imaging systems in one or more bands (e.g., visible through LWIR) and the impacts of optical component mounting and alignment.
- Expertise in relevant industry standards (such as ISO, MIL-STD)
- Strong written and verbal technical communication skills, including the ability to generate clear documentation and present design/analysis results.
- Experience with presenting detailed and concise technical content to program leadership and customer leadership/SMEs
Preferred Qualifications
- MS/PhD in Optical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
- Hands-on experience with STOP and SILOS modeling workflows and integration with optical design tools.
- Experience with missile systems, seeker systems, or other high-reliability, environmentally challenging applications.
- Previous experience with DoD missile defense programs and associated standards
- Experience with EO systems including tolerance analysis, precision alignment, error budgets, and opto-mechanical design/integration.
- Experience configuring parametric CAD models for thermal/structural analysis in support of DOE, with statistical analysis performed using tools such as JMP.
- Experience with optical design tools such as ZEMAX, Code V, and FRED.
- Experience supporting hardware test campaigns and correlating analysis to measured performance.
Sample Northrop Grumman interview questions
- 1
Can you discuss the role of reusability and scalability in UVM's verification approach?
technicalmedium - 2
Can you detail the function of a register table within embedded system design?
technicalmedium - 3
Could you outline how virtual memory is implemented in embedded systems and its advantages?
system designmedium - 4
Can you discuss the role and functionality of a watchdog timer?
system designmedium - 5
What is your understanding of polymorphism in SystemVerilog?
technicalmedium
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