Talon is a small business staffing and engineering firm providing innovative, end-to-end, rapid turn solutions to our government and commercial clients. Founded in 2019, Talon employs over 150 Aerospace and Defense engineers and other support staff to solve problems for a variety of applications to include aircraft, ballistics, cybersecurity, motorsports, armor development, biological systems, missiles, and warheads. Talon has an office in Tucson, AZ that is providing staffing solutions, technical services support, and manufacturing to Fortune 500 companies.
Position Role Type: Hybrid, Full - time, Some travel is required
Location: Tucson, AZ with travel to SoCal
Optical Engineer/IR Seeker Job Description: Talon Analytics is hiring an Optical Engineer to join our Vehicle Engineering team of qualified, diverse individuals in SoCal, however will primarily be working remotely from Tucson, full-time for 6 months. Some travel is required. The Optical Engineer will design, develop, and demonstrate new optical technologies that could drastically reduce size, weight, power, and cost of compact satellite optical payloads, and potentially enhancing performance to enable new capabilities. Responsibilities would initially be in working with current optical designers to understand the trades in optical payload design, investigation into new optics including diffractive optics, meta-optics, and gradient index lenses, and developing new insights and capabilities in integration of such technologies into future optical payload development. In addition you will likely include serving as a Principal Investigator (PI) on Contract R&D efforts with the Government and working on novel payload concepts through internal R&D (IRAD) effort.
Experience and expected tasks: EO/IR optical lens design, analysis and fabricationOptical relay designExpert using Zemax or CodeV (optical design CAD tool)MTF, PSF, RER analysis of the refractive & reflective optical system and lab test for verification of the analysisAthermalized lens stack and optical relay design, analysis over wide range of temperature and temperature gradientRay trace and stray light analysisFocal point/length analysis and calculation for a real time focus solution over temperature transitions, thermal gradients, lens and mirror assembly tolerance stackWavefront error analysis and lab test verificationVibration and shock analysis of the optical lens, optical relay, and cameraMake or buy decision of the lens based on the all the above analysisCamera metering structure and mechanical interface with opto-mechanical engineerWork with image stabilization, beam steering design trade study to achieve the required SWaP-CDesign for low cost and medium volume for MIL-STD-810 environmentDesign and support for a repeatable, reliable and realizable factory calibrationExperience with fast steering mirror Primary Qualifications: Ability to provide guidance to a staff of energetic engineers and skilled technicians to develop strategies for advanced coating technologies. Ability to work with other engineering disciplines to determine strategies for incorporating coated windows, lenses, filters, and detector antireflective coatings into optical systems.Knowledge of developing a roadmap of novel imaging technologies for future space systems, and explore nascent concepts.Proficient experience with finite element-based design tools such as COMSOL, CST, or Lumerical.Proficient experience with optical design tools such as Zemax or Code V.Proficient in Windows.Ability to provide Process Ownership of one or more vacuum coating tools using e-beam Evaporation or Ion Beam Sputtering – including writing and certifying work instructions and defining yield improvement plansFamiliarity with metrology equipment and characterization of Optical Coatings and/or optical componentsKnowledge of statistical process control and design of experiments Must Have Qualifications: Able to write and review specifications for optical coatings, including spectral performance requirements, environmental and chemical exposure requirements, durability, and surface quality requirementsExperience with modeling and designing coatings for manufacturing in-house.Knowledge to perform trade studies for optimization of optical coatings strategyAbility to Manage process development and improvement projects, including novel processing techniques, yield increase, throughput, and safety improvementsDirect experience with electron beam, thermal evaporation, or ion beam sputtering technologyAbility to work in a cleanroom environment wearing frock garments.Experience in engineering computing, including MATLAB, Python or other related languages.More than five years of experience in designing Optical Coatings using optical coating modeling softwareDegree in Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics, or a STEM degree in a related field and a minimum of 5 years' experience as a Process or Manufacturing Engineer in an Optics, Electro-Optics and/or Microelectronics environment. Or an advanced degree with 3 years of related experience in Process or Manufacturing Engineer in an Optics, Electro-Optics and/or Microelectronics environment.Must be able to obtain and maintain a US Government issued clearance is required. U.S. Citizenship is required as only US citizens are eligible for a security clearance. Compensation: Offering a competitive hourly wage Flexible work schedule Full-time schedules available 401K match Talon is An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or veteran status, age or any other federally protected class.