Staff Opto-Mechanical Engineer

AOA Xinetics (AOX), a wholly owned Northrop Grumman Space Systems, Payload and Ground Systems Division Business Unit, is a leading supplier of complex electro-optic and photonic systems and subsystems that control and manipulate light waves for a variety of applications.  Our talented team of engineers, managers and technologists conceive, design, develop and manufacture high precision products in an environment that requires significant collaboration and teamwork among multiple engineering disciplines. 

AOX is an end-to-end engineering company that creates solutions, puts them into practice, and manufactures them. We develop solutions to some of the nation’s hardest technical challenges leveraging advanced technical capabilities in optical, mechanical, software, electronics controls, systems, test and manufacturing engineering to perform applied research, engineering development, and precision manufacturing.

Additionally, AOX excels in a range of applications from adaptive optical systems, deformable mirrors, wavefront sensors, and sub-nanometer precision actuators to photonic systems that acquire and process data in real time for a variety of high-availability applications. AOX’s market offerings include lightweight passive and active CERAFORM™ and CERAPRINT™ silicon carbide (SiC) optics and precision structures as well as large and small precision opto-mechanical systems supporting electronics and sophisticated controls software.

Learn more about AOX at  https://www.northropgrumman.com/who-we-are/business-ventures/

Overview

Overview

Reporting to the Xinetics Mechanical Engineering Manager, the Staff Opto-Mechanical Engineer will perform Mechanical Design and Analysis for space, ground and airborne optical systems, tooling, and test equipment.  The Staff Opto-Mechanical Engineer’s responsibilities include leading engineering design efforts of complex electro-optical and opto-mechanical systems, designing hardware that satisfies system requirements, documenting design approaches, detailing parts and assembly drawings to support the development, manufacture, and test of optical systems. Additional expectations include support to new business opportunities and active leadership and development of junior engineers, designers and technicians. 

Role and Responsibilities:

• Perform opto-mechanical engineering on multiple projects through all phases of development and manufacturing that schedule, cost, and technical requirements

• Create part and assembly models, detailed drawings and associated parts lists, in accordance with AMSE Y14.5 and AOX drawing standards.

• Mentor earlier career engineers and conduct peer reviews of other engineer’s work products

• Execute new optomechanical designs with a focus on DFM

• Perform analysis of optics, mounting strategies, detailed geometric tolerances, manufacturability, and cost

• Support transition to production and manufacturing engineering

• Provide technical solutions to complex problems which require regular use of technical acumen, ingenuity and creativity.

• Perform trade studies, design of experiments, assembly and testing of parts, components, and assemblies

• Travel to customer and supplier sites as required

• Provide technical content for proposals, estimate and track mechanical design costs, create schedule estimates, and make presentations to customers and company management.

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Physics, Mechanical or Optical Engineering, or other related STEM degree

• Minimum of 14 years of opto-mechanical design, manufacturing and process development experience in a Defense/DoD, Space or related industry, OR 12 years' experience with a Masters degree, OR 9 years' experience with a PhD

• Demonstrated solid understanding of mechanical and opto-mechanical design best practices and basic understanding of the other engineering disciplines

• Minimum 2 years of experience in lens and mirror mounting techniques, flexure and kinematic mount design, optical assembly and alignment

• Adhesive applications of opto-mechanical products including athermalized mounting design

• Adhesive applications and bonding techniques suitable for space environments

• Team leadership experience

• Advanced Microsoft Office,  MS Project, Solidworks or equivalent

• US Citizenship

• Ability to obtain and maintain a top secret security clearance

Preferred Qualifications:

• SigFit, Zemax, MATLAB, NASTRAN/FEMAP, Ansys, or equivalent

• Silicon Carbide/Ceramics/Optical Materials experience

• Interferometer and optical alignment experience

• Working knowledge of geometric optics, wave optics, Gaussian propagation, and aberration theory.

• Advanced technical business or management degree

• Active TS/SCI security clearance

The health and safety of our employees and their families is a top priority. The company encourages employees to remain up-to-date on their COVID-19 vaccinations. U.S. Northrop Grumman employees may be required, in the future, to be vaccinated or have an approved disability/medical or religious accommodation, pursuant to future court decisions and/or government action on the currently stayed federal contractor vaccine mandate under Executive Order 14042 https://www.saferfederalworkforce.gov/contractors/.

Northrop Grumman is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action 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/AA and Pay Transparency statement, please visit http://www.northropgrumman.com/EEO. U.S. Citizenship is required for most positions.