Star Catcher Industries, Inc., located in
Jacksonville, Florida, has an opportunity for an
Optical Engineer - Test, Alignment & Integration to support the development of space-to-space power beaming spacecraft and the Star Catcher Network, its orbital power grid.
Key Responsibilities- Plan and conduct optical experiments and verification tests for beam expanders, imaging telescopes, PAT hardware, and fiber laser subsystems.
- Align optical systems, including large and off-axis reflective optics, using interferometers, autocollimators, alignment telescopes, laser trackers, and coordinate measuring machines (CMMs).
- Characterize optical performance, including transmitted and reflected WFE (interferometry), surface figure, MTF and PSF, boresight, and dimensional metrology.
- Characterize laser beams, including power, M8 (ISO 11146), beam profiles, pointing stability and jitter, polarization, and spectrum.
- Support environmental testing, including optical performance checks before and after vibration, through-window testing in thermal vacuum (TVAC), and alignment stability verification.
- Characterize the optical response of photovoltaic receivers under laser illumination (irradiance uniformity, spectral and angular response), working with Electrical Engineering, who perform the electrical measurements.
- Write test plans, procedures, and reports; design test fixtures and ground support equipment (GSE).
- Analyze test data in Python or MATLAB and feed results into WFE and pointing budgets.
- Maintain lab readiness, including contamination control, cleanroom practice, and Class 4 laser safety procedures.
Basic Qualifications- Education: Bachelors degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
- Experience: 3+ years of hands-on optical test, alignment, or integration experience.
Technical Expertise- Interferometric testing (e.g., Zygo or 4D Technology interferometers), including null tests and data reduction.
- Alignment of reflective optical systems, including off-axis optics, using autocollimators, alignment telescopes, and interferometers.
- Laser beam characterization tools: power meters, beam profilers, M8 measurement systems, and wavefront sensors.
- Experience writing and executing formal test procedures and reports.
- Data analysis in Python or MATLAB.
- Working knowledge of Class 4 laser safety and cleanroom practices.
Preferred Qualifications- Large Optics: Alignment and testing of 0.5 m class or larger optics, including computer-generated hologram (CGH) null testing.
- Environmental Test: Optical testing in TVAC and before and after vibration.
- Metrology: Laser trackers, CMMs, and alignment cubes/theodolites.
- Contamination Control: Experience with IEST-STD-CC1246 cleanliness levels and contamination control plans.
- PV Testing: Characterization of solar cells or laser power converters.
- Laser Safety: Experience as a laser safety officer or deputy.
Help us deploy and scale space infrastructure that will drive our utilization of space forward! We offer a highly competitive benefits package including access to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) retirement plan, life insurance, and paid parental leave, in addition to other benefits. 
