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Clera

Senior Optical Engineer, R&D

San Francisco
Salary
$150,000 - $200,000 annually
Level
Senior
Work type
On-site · San Francisco
Visa
Not offered

Open. First seen 21 October 2026.

Apply on the company's site →

About the role

About the Role

Join the R&D team at a defense technology startup developing autonomous directed-energy systems. You will lead optical system design and investigations, applying deep optical expertise to turn designs into robust hardware.

What You'll Do

  • Lead optical design and analysis for core system components.
  • Drive optical investigations, trade studies, and system-level design decisions.
  • Specify and evaluate optical components and subsystem architectures.
  • Partner with mechanical engineers on packaging, housing, and system integration.
  • Conduct tolerance analysis, performance validation, and design iteration.
  • Guide alignment, characterization, and testing of integrated optical systems.
  • Work with vendors and fabricators on feasibility, tolerancing, and manufacturability.
  • Establish best practices for optical development, validation, and technical documentation.

What We're Looking For

  • Typically 5 to 10 or more years of senior-level experience in optical engineering, optical design, or related physics-based systems work.
  • Demonstrated experience designing and analyzing optical systems that were built and operated as hardware, including alignment, characterization, and hands-on debugging.
  • Strong command of optical theory and experience leading investigations and trade studies that inform system-level decisions.
  • Experience specifying and evaluating optical components, performing tolerance analysis and validation, and working with vendors or fabricators.
  • Working familiarity with mechanical packaging and integration, and experience collaborating across engineering disciplines.
  • Experience with high-power laser optics, ruggedized beam delivery, beam directors, collimators, fast steering mirrors, adaptive optics, or laser communication terminals is relevant.
  • Experience with Zemax/OpticStudio or Code V, and approximately 1 micron fiber laser systems, is valuable.
  • BS or MS in Optical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

Compensation & Benefits

Base salary: $150,000 to $200,000 annually. Visa sponsorship is not available.

Location

On-site in San Francisco, California, United States.

The team: Engineering HIRES STEADILY

This role is one of 385 open in Engineering. 319 were posted in the last 30 days and the oldest in March: a team that hires all year rather than one being built.

WHAT THE TEAM WORKS WITH, ACROSS ITS POSTINGS

LLM (162 of 385), Python (160 of 385), TypeScript (151 of 385), React (122 of 385), Machine Learning (92 of 385), PostgreSQL (70 of 385), JavaScript (66 of 385)

OTHER ROLES ON THIS TEAM

From the team and dates on Clera's own job board.

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