True Anomaly
Engineering Manager, Electro-Optical Systems
2mo ago
USALeadlidarhyperspectral imagingelectro-optical systemsintegrationtesting
Lead a team designing and developing high-performance electro-optical systems for autonomous orbital vehicles and space applications.
Responsibilities
- Own the technical direction for EO/IR payload systems, including seekers, RPO sensor suites, LiDAR, and hyperspectral imaging systems
- Lead, mentor, and grow a team of electro-optical engineers across the full payload development lifecycle
- Oversee end-to-end EO systems development: requirements definition, optical and systems design, component selection, analysis, procurement, integration, and test
- Evaluate and down-select between vertically integrated and COTS solutions based on performance, cost, schedule, and mission risk
- Partner with the VP of New Product Engineering, Business Development, and Program Office to define and maintain the company's EO systems development roadmap
- Develop and maintain optical performance budgets, including radiometric, signal-to-noise, and resolution analyses
- Ensure payload designs meet mission requirements for reliability, thermal performance, radiation tolerance, and size, weight, and power (SWaP) constraints
- Manage schedules, budgets, staffing, and technical risk across multiple EO payload programs
- Collaborate with avionics, systems engineering, GNC, and software teams to ensure seamless spacecraft integration
- Drive compliance with applicable aerospace standards and lead design reviews with internal stakeholders and customers
- Communicate product development status and issues with leadership and stakeholders
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field (Master's preferred)
- 10+ years of professional experience in electro-optical systems design and development for aerospace, defense, or high-reliability applications
- Demonstrated experience with EO/IR imaging systems, including detector selection, optical design, and system-level performance modeling
- Experience with proximity operations or seeker sensor architectures, LiDAR systems, or hyperspectral imaging payloads
- Strong understanding of radiometric analysis, optical performance budgeting, and image quality assessment
- Familiarity with SWaP-constrained design trade-offs for spacecraft payloads
- Demonstrated ability to lead engineering teams and deliver complex hardware on schedule
- Ability to maintain or obtain TS//SCI clearance
- Work Location —this role will be onsite at either our Centennial, CO or Long Beach, CA locations, with travel to other sites as needed.
- Work environment —the work environment; temperature, noise level, inside or outside, or other factors that will affect the person's working conditions while performing the job.
- Physical demands —the physical demands of the job, including bending, sitting, lifting and driving.
- This position will be open until it is successfully filled. To submit your application, please follow the directions below. #LI-Onsite
- To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
- True Anomaly is committed to equal employment opportunity on any basis protected by applicable state and federal laws. If you have a disability or additional need that requires accommodation, please do not hesitate to let us.
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Nice to have
- Experience with space-qualified or radiation-tolerant EO/IR detector and focal plane array technologies
- Familiarity with optical design tools such as Zemax/OpticStudio, CODE V, or similar
- Experience with LiDAR system design, waveform processing, and point cloud generation
- Knowledge of hyperspectral sensor design, calibration, and on-orbit data processing
- Experience with thermal and structural analysis of optomechanical systems
- Familiarity with CCSDS or other space telemetry standards for payload data downlink
- Experience working in a fast-paced, startup environment or a similarly dynamic setting
Conditions
- Base Salary: $190,000-$295,000
- Equity + Benefits including Health, Dental, Vision, HRA/HSA options, PTO and paid holidays, 401K, Parental Leave
- Your actual level and base salary will be determined on a case-by-case basis and may vary based on the following considerations: job-related knowledge and skills, education, location, and experience.
Other
- Space is a warfighting domain. True Anomaly seeks those with the talent and ambition to build the technology that secures it.
- OUR MISSION
- True Anomaly delivers decisive capabilities for space superiority. We build autonomous spacecraft, advanced payloads, mission software, and space-based interceptors — enabling the U.S. and its Allies to secure the space environment and counter threats from the ultimate high ground.
- OUR VALUES
- Be the offset. We create asymmetric advantages with creativity and ingenuity.
- What would it take? We challenge assumptions to deliver ambitious results.
- It’s the people. Our team is our competitive advantage and we are better together.
- YOUR MISSION
- True Anomaly is seeking an innovative Electro-Optical Systems Engineering Manager to lead a small, agile team responsible for the design, development, integration, and testing of high-performance, affordable optical systems for our seeker and autonomous orbital vehicles. This includes Rendezvous and Proximity Operations (RPO) suites, LiDAR, hyperspectral imaging, and other advanced EO/IR payloads. Reporting to the VP of New Product Engineering , this role encompasses deep technical contribution alongside people management and strategic product planning. The successful candidate will be a recognized expert in electro-optical systems development, with a command of the state-of-the-art in the field and the judgment to evaluate vertically integrated versus COTS solutions with speed and c