Job Description

Description

AOA Xinetics (AOX), a wholly-owned Northrop Grumman Space Systems, Payload and Ground Systems Division Business Venture, 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 team work 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 rsquo;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 rsquo;s market offerings include lightweight passive and active CERAFORM trade; and CERAPRINT trade; silicon carbide (SiC) optics and precision structures as well as large and small precision opto-mechanical systems supporting electronics and sophisticated controls software.

We are one of eight wholly owned Northrop Grumman Strategic Business Ventures https://www.northropgrumman.com/who-we-are/business-ventures

The Principal Optical Engineer will perform as a member of an interdisciplinary team of engineers and scientists on different project assignments to develop novel and innovative solutions to advanced technical problems. You will conduct research and development into physical optics, lasers, and advanced optical communications systems. You will design, develop, build and test systems and products based on optic, photonic and laser technologies. Additionally, you will develop mathematical models for simulation and analysis of optical and electro-optical systems. The successful engineer will be responsible for the overall development of optical systems, including: specifying, selecting and qualifying active and passive optical components, developing and benchmarking system performance models, and implementing test procedures.

Responsibilities include:

* Design and analyze optical components and subsystems
* Specify optical components for fabrication by Qualified Suppliers
* Develop test plans and perform testing of fiber optic components and subsystems
* Contribute to the development of innovative solutions to difficult problems
* Design micro-optical systems for fiber-optic applications
* Perform testing on optical assemblies and photonic systems
* Document designs and test results
* Present results to customers
* Lead teams of engineers and technicians in the pursuit of program goals, and complete tasks according to schedule, budget and design objectives
* Additional responsibilities include support of proposal teams, and working with customers on product definition

Qualification

Basic Qualifications:
bull; BS in Physics or Optics with 7-9 years rsquo; experience, or 3+ years rsquo; experience with a MS in Physics or Optics
bull; Hands-on skills for assembly and testing of designs
bull; Experience with precision optical, micro-optic and/or fiber optic communication components
bull; Experience with optical instrumentation, such as optical spectrum analyzers, laser sources and power meters.
bull; Understanding of fiber optic transmission, communication theory, advanced optical signal coding and modulation formats, and network architecture.
bull; Knowledge and experience with fiber optic systems and components, such as lasers, modulators, EDFAs, dispersion compensators, fibers, passive components, receivers, and high-speed optical modules and sub-systems.
bull; Great problem solving and troubleshooting skills
Good verbal and written communications skills for presentation of technical approaches, work performed, results, and findings
bull; US Citizenship is a bona fide requirement as Applicants selected will be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information
bull; Active Top Secret clearance

Preferred Qualifications:
bull; Experience in DoD, or Aerospace product development and manufacturing
modulation formats
bull; Understanding of fiber optic transmission, communication theory, advanced optical signal coding and, and network architecture
bull; Experience with commercial optical transport products, including 40G/100G coherent systems
bull; Experience with transmission modeling software (such as VPI)
bull; Knowledge of computer instrumentation control.
bull; Knowledge of LabVIEW, MATLAB and Python programming languages.
bull; Knowledge of Zemax optical design software