Amazon Leo is an initiative to launch a constellation of Low Earth Orbit satellites that will provide low-latency, high-speed broadband connectivity to unserved and underserved communities around the world. The Amazon Leo for Government (ALG) Engineering team is a multi-disciplinary technology team involved in developing and delivering targeted and scalable solutions for custom satellite and ground applications. The ALG Engineering team works closely with the core LEO team, and addresses the needs of specific customers (such as government agencies). The Optical Engineer will play a pivotal role in the team delivering innovative and fast-paced analysis and design for both space and ground optical systems and sub-systems. The Optical Engineer will have a background in space and ground based optical system design and analysis. The ideal candidate has experience making optical and opto-mechanical optimization trades for payloads and system architectures. This is a hands-on role for a highly collaborative individual that combines superb technical and analytical capabilities to convert analytic trade studies to a space qualified payload, while meeting cross discipline requirements. The candidate will have a sharp focus on the specific needs of the customer and be able to collaborate with cross functional engineers (mechanical and electrical) to show that proposed solutions will meet the customers goals. The successful candidate will have demonstrated experience working on complex programs with a diverse set of talented individuals, as well as with partner organizations (including government agencies). The candidate will exhibit the potential to lead small sub-system efforts, and be able to prepare easy-to-read and technically compelling written reports. Key job responsibilities- Optical design of ground and space based optical sub-systems while supporting and influencing the opto-mechanical design of these systems - Lead and support the development of optical setups for assembly, integration, and test of optical systems- Support continuous design improvement of the payload optical sub-systems, assembly setups, and test setups - Prototype build and characterization of optical sub-systems and components- Support transition of design and assembly processes to AI&T and manufacturing- Facilitate training of optical and opto-mechanical technicians and support engineers. Security Clearance: This position requires that the candidate selected be a US Citizen and candidates may need to be able to obtain and maintain a US Government security clearance of TS/ SCI. Basic Qualifications- Bachelor's degree in engineering, physics, or equivalent- 4 years of experience in optical system design and build- Experience with lasers, detectors, modulators, optical fiber and devices, testing and characterization- Experience with optical metrology for component and system test and qualification.- Experience with physical and geometric optics, Gaussian beam propagation and detection- Experience building custom optical systems and test setups. Preferred Qualifications- Master's or PhD Degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electronics, or related discipline, or equivalent experience- Expertise in imaging and non-imaging optical design using Zemax or equivalent software- Experience in stray light analysis using FRED or other software- Experience in how opto-mechanical design affects optical design and performance- Experience in automated testing and system characterization- Ability to regularly engage with stake holders and influence system development- Knowledge of optical and laser industries and component suppliers.