Sr. Space Lasers Engineer

About the role

Join the Starshield team to develop and operate free-space optical communication systems for government missions. You will design, validate, and manage laser terminals and imaging payloads for a constellation of satellites.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Develop optical systems through design, analysis, and validation.
• Define requirements for high-performance hardware in difficult environments.
• Lead architecture trade studies, concept of operations, and risk reduction testing.
• Conduct verification testing, including environmental qualification, reliability, and fault injection.
• Manage link budgets, design specifications, and system data.
• Lead field testing for laser communication experiments.
• Coordinate with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure design feasibility.
• Partner with software and automation teams to build testing protocols.
• Represent laser systems in cross-disciplinary meetings and anomaly investigations.

This senior role is on the Starshield team, which develops free-space optical communication systems for government missions. You will develop optical systems through design, analysis, and validation, and you will define requirements for high-performance hardware operating in difficult environments. Because the systems are for national security missions, the requirements are exacting and reliability is paramount.

The role is broad across the engineering lifecycle. You will lead architecture trade studies, concept of operations, and risk reduction testing, conduct verification testing including environmental qualification, reliability, and fault injection, and manage link budgets, design specifications, and system data. You will also lead field testing for laser communication experiments, coordinate with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure design feasibility, partner with software and automation teams to build testing protocols, and represent laser systems in cross-disciplinary meetings and anomaly investigations.

Working on free-space optical systems for government missions means the engineering bar is high: link budgets must close, hardware must survive harsh environments, and every design decision is subject to rigorous review. The role rewards engineers who combine deep optical expertise with a practical, hands-on approach to testing and validation, and who can communicate clearly across technical teams. A willingness to own outcomes through the full lifecycle, from concept to field deployment, is important. The position offers exposure to both classified and commercial space programs, and the team works closely with mission stakeholders across SpaceX.

Requirements

• Bachelor degree in optical engineering, physics, or a related STEM field.
• 5+ years of hands-on experience in photonics, laser technology, optics, or electrical/mechanical testing.
• 3+ years of experience using C++, MATLAB, or Python.
• Must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or asylee to comply with ITAR requirements.

Nice to have

• Master degree or PhD in physics or engineering.
• Proficiency in Zemax.
• Experience with pointing, acquisition, and tracking.
• Knowledge of mixed-signal circuits, FPGAs, SERDES, DDR4, I2C, SPI, and power supply components.
• Background in opto-mechanical design, precision steering, and mounting.
• Familiarity with atmospheric optical effects, infrared alignment, and signal integrity.
• Experience with high-reliability hardware or commercial communications development.
• Competence with Linux and Python scripting.

Skills & tools

Optical test equipment: power meters, interferometers, laser sources. Programming: C++, MATLAB, Python. Optical analysis: Zemax.

Practical notes

Salary range: $135,000 to $195,000 per year. Active security clearance holders receive a 10% differential, up to an additional $20,000 annually, once briefed into a classified program. Total rewards include company stock, stock options, long-term cash awards, discretionary bonuses, and an Employee Stock Purchase Plan. Benefits: medical, vision, dental, 401(k), disability insurance, life insurance, paid parental leave, 3 weeks of vacation, and 10+ paid holidays. Expect to work extended hours and weekends as needed. Roles involving sensitive missions require pre-employment and random drug and alcohol testing.

About the company

Based in Starbase, Texas, a company pursues work in spaceflight, telecom, and artificial intelligence. A unit handles rocket launches, leading yearly orbital counts beyond other national and commercial teams. Another unit runs Starlink, a satellite communications firm. A third area, through SpaceXAI, advances Grok and AI integration with X, while managing data center operations. Roles often cross these paths. Candidates with engineering, software, or operations backgrounds may find chances to join projects that span launch, connectivity, and machine learning efforts in this Texas-based enterprise.