waypointjobs

Thales Defense & Security, Inc.

Principal Optics Engineer

billerica, MA

Check who can apply and the requirements below before continuing.

About this opportunity

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. lists this Principal Optics Engineer opportunity in billerica, Massachusetts. Review the employer’s description below for duties, qualifications and application requirements.

Job description

TDSI is a U.S. company headquartered in Clarksburg, MD, that has been serving defense Air, Land and Sea domains for 60+ years.

With over 1,000 employees, TDSI and its four subsidiaries (Advanced Acoustic Concepts, Digital Receiver Technology, Tampa Microwave, and Trusted Cyber Technologies) support U.S. Joint Services, special operations forces and multinational partners with a variety of communication, visualization, signal intelligence/electronic warfare, and sensor/sonar capabilities.

TDSI’s key technologies include tactical handheld radios, expeditionary satellite terminals, helmet-mounted displays, optics and target recognition capability, advanced radars, undersea sensing and missile systems. Lives depend on what we do!

Top Benefits (Subject to terms of applicable policies/plans)

Yearly Incentive Compensation Plan

Medical insurance for self and eligible family members

Generous 401(k) program - up to 7% company contribution and 100% immediate vesting

Tuition Reimbursement

Paid wellness, vacation, and holiday leave

Paid maternity, paternity, and parental leave

9/80 Work Schedule (every other Friday off)

Hybrid working environment

We are excited to announce that we have an opening in our Billerica, MA office for a Principal Optics Engineer.

Responsibilities

Understand the Augmented Reality HMD marketspace, its requirements and customer needs

Develop and maintain a vast network of contacts at vendors, customers, and industry working groups

Attend and participate as a subject-matter expert at relevant conferences and symposia

Understand the physics and math of optics and displays

Develop product/development requirements - what is possible, what is manufacturable, how to bend physics to our will, and how much of that can we do now?

Propose R&D efforts, how to productize the resulting technologies, and the intervening set of tasks

Provide technical support and expertise on proposals, bid efforts and customer interactions

Interact with and impress customers, and vendor counterparts at a very technical level

Manage vendors to a successful conclusion, including providing milestones for evaluating next direction, and cutting bait if such evaluation finds no promising direction

Design and develop optical components of head-mounted displays (waveguide, projector, intervening optics) - potentially identifying COTS while overseeing adaptation effort

Test performance of optical components (especially waveguides) in the lab

Analyze performance of optical components: provide and defend first-order (oversimplified) calculations with stated assumptions to recommend whether a technical approach is worth further investigation (for instance in the lab)

Debug problems with our current displays

Operate without close supervision, which probably means turning an open-ended problem into a course of action and then following it to an actionable conclusion

This means both avoiding rabbit holes and politely avoiding accepting too many assignments or assignments with insufficient time, money, or probability of success

Perform as an integral member of the HMD team interacting on a regular basis with inter/intra-company disciplines including engineering, contracts, programs management, business development, and manufacturing

Some domestic and international travel to vendors, customers, and conferences

By example, set the standards that embody the TDSI Core Value and Thales Leadership Model

Qualifications

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

U.S. Citizenship required. - Applicants selected may be subject to a government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information.

Bachelor’s in engineering or equivalent technology field, master’s or PhD preferred

8+ years’ experience in hands-on engineering role; with at least 6 dedicated to Optics

Experience with motion-tracking integration into augmented reality devices (expertise preferred)

Excellent organizational skills and work ethic

Knowledge of software development lifecycle

Effective oral and written communication skills and the ability to manage multiple projects

The annualized pay range for this role is $146,151-$186,748 USD along with a target incentive compensation plan (ICP) of 5% . The pay range provided is a good faith estimate representative of the experience level for the role described above. TDSI considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the role, function and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, location, education/training, and key skills.

For specific questions about this job posting, candidates may contact talent acquisition at

Thales Defense & Security, Inc. is committed to non-discrimination as applicable under federal, state and local laws. We are an E-Verify Employer.

If you need an accommodation or assistance in order to apply for a position with Thales Defense & Security, Inc., please call Human Resources at .

22605 Gateway Center Drive

Clarksburg, Maryland 20871, United States

Phone (outside the U.S.):

Toll Free (in the U.S.):

#J-18808-Ljbffr

Who can apply

Review the original listing for work authorization, qualifications and employer requirements.

Ready for your next step?Apply on the official website
Apply on WhatJobs ↗

Explore related searches

Current related jobs

CNH Industrial

WhatJobs

Design Engineer II - Electrical Integration

racine, WI

See pay details in description

About Us Innovation. Sustainability. Productivity. This is how we are Breaking New Ground in our mission to sustainably advance the noble work of…

Last received from source 2026-10-10View job

CNH Industrial

WhatJobs

Design Engineer II - Electrical Integration

oak brook, IL

See pay details in description

About Us Innovation. Sustainability. Productivity. This is how we are Breaking New Ground in our mission to sustainably advance the noble work of…

Last received from source 2026-10-10View job

Vantor

WhatJobs

Spacecraft Engineer

westminster, CO

$107,800.00 annually

Vantor is forging the new frontier of spatial intelligence, helping decision makers and operators navigate what's happening now and shape what's …

Last received from source 2026-10-10View job

Micron Technology Inc

WhatJobs

Equipment Engineer

boise, ID

Salary not specified

Our vision is to transform how the world uses information to enrich life for all . Micron Technology is a world leader in innovating memory an…

Last received from source 2026-10-10View job

Micron Technology Inc

WhatJobs

Sr Engineer, Metrology DRAM

boise, ID

Salary not specified

Our vision is to transform how the world uses information to enrich life for all . Micron Technology is a world leader in innovating memory an…

Last received from source 2026-10-10View job