Senior Optronics Engineer

Job description

About HEADBORNE.AI Safe, mission-based AI solutions for first responders and defense. HEADBORNE's long-term mission is to defend free democracies of the world with ethical, interoperable, mission-based safe AI solutions for first responders, defense forces, and decision makers. We build a secure, AI-driven Cloud/OS platform integrated in the next generations of AR smart glasses, helmets, drones, robots, and training systems. We seamlessly connect them across air, land, sea, space, and cyberspace, delivering complete situational awareness, control, and command. About the Role HEADBORNE seeks a Senior Optical Engineer to join our Imaging team. You will develop novel visible-to-infrared optical systems from concept through production—contributing to architecture decisions, defining performance requirements under multidisciplinary constraints, and designing and tolerancing systems for ground and airborne applications. You’ll lead lab testing, data analysis, and support the transition from R&D to production, including root-cause evaluation of prototype and manufacturing issues. Working closely with hardware and systems engineers, you’ll deliver high-performance optical systems that operate reliably in real-world conditions. We’re looking for a brilliant, motivated engineer to join TEAM HEADBORNE—delivering mission-based, safe AI solutions that matter. Responsibilities Design, simulate, and optimize visible-to-infrared optical systems for AR helmets, drones, and robotics. Define optical performance requirements and conduct system-level architecture trades. Lead STOP (Structural, Thermal, Optical Performance) analyses for ruggedized, field-ready optics. Develop and execute test plans to validate prototypes and production hardware. Analyze performance data and investigate root causes of optical system issues. Collaborate with hardware, mechanical, and embedded teams to integrate optical designs end-to-end. Support the transition from R&D to production with documentation, tolerancing, and validation. Contribute to codebase quality, model reproducibility, and CI/CD workflows for ML pipelines. Explore new optical technologies that enhance mission capabilities across air and land. Required Qualifications BS, MS, or PhD in Engineering with a concentration in Optics. 3+ years designing and testing complex opto-mechanical systems in production or R&D environments. Experti…