Staff Optical Engineer

Role highlights:

Staff Optical Engineer

• Location: Warsaw, Poland

• Department: Engineering / Optical Systems

• Reports to: Engineering Manager, Optical Systems

• Employment type: Permanent

• Workplace model: Hybrid

• Employment is subject to applicable security screening (incl. SUPO, where required)
  

Why this role matters:

As Staff Optical Engineer, you will be a senior member of the tiger team shaping ICEYE's next generation of spaceborne imaging systems. Drawing on deep, hands-on experience across imaging optics, from telescopes to full camera systems, you will define how these instruments are architected, resolving the trade-offs between detector performance and optical design that determine what the system can ultimately achieve. Beyond the design work itself, you will act as a technical anchor for the wider engineering group, mentoring engineers and raising the ceiling of what the team is able to build as it takes on more ambitious optical systems.

Who We Are

ICEYE is the world leader in sovereign intelligence from space. We deliver persistent monitoring capabilities to detect and respond to changes in any location on Earth.

ICEYE owns the world's largest and most advanced SAR (synthetic aperture radar) satellite constellation. To our customers we provide intelligence with unmatched quality, latency and revisit times, in any weather, day or night. To governments who choose to operate their own constellation we provide this proven capability as a sovereign system.

ICEYE-built constellations serve customers in defence and intelligence, environmental monitoring, insurance and emergency management. We enable fast decisions that contribute to a safer future.

Founded and headquartered in Finland, ICEYE operates globally with over 1000 employees across Europe, North America, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.

Your day-to-day responsibilities

• Steer the architecture and technical direction of the team's imaging systems as a senior member of the team, staying involved from initial concept through manufacturing, assembly, alignment, and qualification.

• Shape how imaging systems come together end to end, connecting optical design decisions with detector-side elements such as focal plane assembly, and applying your experience with large optics to current and future instrument generations.

• Mentor engineers across the team day to day, passing on the optical judgement and system-level thinking that will let the group take on larger, more demanding designs.

What we’re looking for

Must haves:

• Extensive experience in imaging optics, ideally including cameras, space telescopes, and other imaging systems, gained across the full product lifecycle from concept and design through manufacturing, quality control, assembly, alignment, and qualification.

• Knowledge of optical system design together with the detector side of the system, including focal plane and detector assemblies.

• Experience working as an imaging systems architect, familiar with the trade-offs and typical architectures for imaging systems,

• Ability to assess designs and requirements and own the technical trade-offs for the system, with a focus on current and future designs.

• Strong mentoring skills, comfortable working with a group of engineers on a daily basis.

• Degree in optical engineering, applied physics, or a related field, with 10+ years of relevant experience.

Nice to haves:

• Knowledge of the satellite systems and integration of the optical payload with satellite platforms.

Application Process

• Talent Attraction Screening

• Hiring Manager Screening

• Onsite workshop + Technical discussion

• Interview with Leadership
  

Working at ICEYE

At ICEYE, you’ll join a diverse and highly engaged team united by the ambition to make the impossible possible. As a global scale-up, we combine speed and ambition with the opportunity to take real ownership from day one. Your growth, wellbeing, and success are a priority, with continuous professional development, training opportunities, and a culture where collaboration is how we win.

How We Work (Our Values)

• Make the impossible possible: We set ambitious goals and stay calm under pressure. We bring grit, optimism, and ownership when things get hard, and we keep moving until we find a way.

• Be curious: Go deep, ask questions, listen carefully, and think critically. Understand the “why” behind decisions.

• See the big picture: Stay close to what’s happening across the company so you can make better decisions. Consider how your work affects others.

• Drive effective teamwork: Create psychological safety, invite different perspectives, and build inclusive teams. There are no bad questions.

• Act as one team: We win together. We match tasks to the right owner and stay agile as priorities shift.

• Have fun: What we do matters—and it should be enjoyable. Celebrate progress, take pride in results, and share the wins.
  

Benefits

Our benefits are designed to support your health and wellbeing, at work and beyond. We keep improving them based on employee feedback, and offerings vary by location. Talent Acquisition will confirm what applies for this role and location during the process.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion

We want ICEYE to be a place where people can be themselves and do great work. Different backgrounds and perspectives make us stronger, which is why we work to create an environment where people feel included, respected, and able to speak up. Whatever your background, we want you to bring your authentic self to the table.

We’re committed to fair, inclusive hiring and equal opportunity. Everyone is welcome to apply. If you need any adjustments or support during the recruitment process, tell us—we’ll do our best to help.

Apply now to start your ICEYE journey, and help us continue to make the impossible possible together. Read more about ICEYE and working with us at iceye.com.