Optical Designer

Simera Sense

  • Leuven, Vlaams Brabant
  • Vast
  • Voltijds
  • 1 maand geleden
Simera Sense is a leading provider of Earth observation camera solutions for the global small satellite market. Committed to excellence and innovation, we deliver superior products and services to our worldwide customer base. Our Head Office is in Belgium, and our South African company is based in Somerset West, close to all amenities and diverse natural beauty, providing great lifestyle options.Simera Sense is at the forefront of developing high-performance optical payloads for small satellite Earth observation missions. As we continue to expand our capabilities and global impact, we are looking for a skilled and innovative Optical Designer to join our team.In this role, you will be responsible for the design, simulation, and optimisation of advanced optical systems used in spaceborne imaging payloads. You will work closely with multidisciplinary teams—including systems engineers, AIT specialists, and product managers—to translate mission requirements into robust, high-precision optical designs that perform reliably in the harsh environment of space.This is a unique opportunity to contribute to the full lifecycle of optical payload development, from conceptual design through to qualification and launch, in a company that values technical excellence, creativity, and collaboration.Job Purpose:Lead the optical design and analyses of all Earth observation optical payload products, which include assisting with requirements generation for new optical systems, guiding the optical design through the various development phases, from requirements specification to concept generation, and completing the detailed design, analyses, integration, and verification testing of the system.Responsibilities:
  • Provide technical input as part of client support for active contracts.
  • Assist with defining alignment strategies and implementing improvements to the assembly, integration and testing of the products from an optical perspective
  • Generating all optical manufacturing drawings and managing the manufacturing of optics by external optical suppliers.
  • Selection of optical test hardware and equipment for production and development.
  • Assist with generating optical system requirements.
  • Generating new optical designs based on system requirements and performing complex system analyses, feasibility studies, and investigations.
  • Responsible for detailed design and analysis of all optical systems and optical test equipment. This includes systems operating in the visible to near-infrared range and SWIR systems.
  • Performing optical analyses, including, but not limited to, optical performance analyses, sensitivity analyses, tolerance analyses, stray light analyses, etc.
  • Assist the optomechanical team with the thermal design of the complete electro-optical system by performing structural-thermal-optical (STOP) analyses using Sigmadyne Sigfit software.
  • Assist with the technical inspection of received optical components.
  • Generating various technical documentation such as optical design documents, test procedures, datasheets and reports.
  • Promote technical growth of the company's optical design division.
  • Provide guidance to team members pertaining to optical alignment and optical performance measurement.
Required Qualifications:Master's Degree in Optical Design, Optical Engineering or relatedRequired Experience:
  • 5+ years of hands-on experience in optical design and development, with a strong background in the following areas:
  • Demonstrated experience in generating system-level optical requirements, designing optical systems (including visible, NIR, and SWIR), and conducting feasibility studies, tolerance analyses, and stray light assessments.
  • Proven ability to produce detailed optical manufacturing drawings and manage the end-to-end process with external optical suppliers to ensure quality and delivery timelines.
  • Experience selecting and configuring optical test equipment for development and production environments, with a solid understanding of optical alignment and performance measurement techniques.
  • Exposure to structural-thermal-optical performance (STOP) analysis and collaboration with optomechanical teams to ensure integrated system performance under varying environmental conditions.
  • Familiarity with the inspection and verification of received optical components to ensure compliance with design specifications.
  • Skilled in preparing comprehensive technical documentation, including design reports, test procedures, datasheets, and technical specifications.
  • Experience mentoring junior engineers or team members in optical alignment and measurement and contributing to the technical growth of an optical design team or division.
Recommendations:
  • 10+ years of experience in optical system design and analysis.
  • Previous experience working with equipment such as interferometers, collimators, and other optical alignment equipment.
  • Experience in designing earth observation optical systems for spaceborne applications.
  • Knowledge of Sigmadyne SigFit.
  • Programming experience in C ++ / Python.
  • Doctoral Degree in Optical Design, Optical Engineering or related
Special requirement:Willingness to travel internationallyWhat we offer:
  • The opportunity to work in the fast-growing space industry.
  • Niche global market for optical payloads for microsatellites.
  • Cutting-edge technology at your fingertips
  • A competitive salary
  • A friendly working environment.

Simera Sense