Full-Time

Optical Engineer

Deadline 11/11/26
Booz Allen

Booz Allen

10,001+ employees

Global consulting in strategy, technology, engineering

Compensation Overview

$77.5k - $176k/yr

No H1B Sponsorship

Dahlgren, VA, USA

In Person

US Top Secret Clearance Required

Bachelor's, Master's, PhD

Category
Electrical Engineering
Required Skills
MATLAB
Computer Vision
Data Analysis
Zemax
SolidWorks

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Requirements
  • At least 5 years of experience with optical test equipment, including oscilloscopes, power meters, photodiodes, detectors, interferometers, wavefront sensors, spectrometers, or beam profilers.
  • At least 5 years of experience aligning optical components, cameras, lasers, or opto-mechanics.
  • At least 3 years of laboratory experience designing test setups, developing test plans, recording data, and reporting meaningful results.
  • Experience with laser systems, including gain media, pump sources, thermal management and control, opto-mechanics, optical coatings, substrates, characterization and specification, beam shaping, or beam control.
  • Experience with image processing for object tracking, detection, recognition, and identification, and testing electro-optic sensors for integration into weapons systems.
  • Knowledge of major laser-system components and integration, including the optical train.
  • Ability to collaborate with mechanical, optical, and software engineering specialties across a functional team developing optical systems.
  • Ability to learn, adapt, and assist in testing high-priority weapons systems in a professional environment.
  • Ability to obtain a Secret security clearance.
  • Bachelor's degree in Optics, Physics, or Electrical Engineering.
Responsibilities
  • Support the development and testing of electro-optic components for integration into high-energy laser weapons.
  • Provide optical technical expertise for directed-energy weapon systems.
  • Support the design, testing, and integration of state-of-the-art directed-energy weapon systems.
  • Test optical systems and weapons systems to enhance warfighter capabilities.
Desired Qualifications
  • At least 10 years of experience working with U.S. Navy or other military-service laser and electro-optic systems.
  • At least 5 years of experience with high-energy laser weapon systems, including fiber-laser technology.
  • At least 5 years of experience with intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance electro-optic technology development, analysis, test and evaluation, and platform integration.
  • Experience with FRED, Zemax, WaveTrain, SolidWorks, or MATLAB for design and analysis, including creating models and designing and laying out optical intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance systems.
  • Experience with pulsed lasers, fiber optics, free-space optics, nonlinear optics, spectroscopy, imaging and radiometric tools, or integrated photonics.
  • Experience analyzing high-energy laser interactions with materials and components, laser propagation theory, and experiments, including modeling and characterizing laser performance in relevant military environments and ranges.
  • Knowledge of practical problems associated with designing, building, integrating, and testing laser weapons systems.
  • Master's degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.
  • Doctorate degree in Optics, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or a related field.

Booz Allen Hamilton helps government agencies, corporations, and non-profits solve complex technical and strategic problems through strategy, technology, and engineering consulting. Its strengths include cybersecurity, data analytics, and digital transformation for defense, intelligence, and civil sectors. It delivers services via long-term contracts, project-based work, and recurring engagements, blending domain expertise with advanced tech. Its goal is to help clients anticipate threats, optimize operations, and transform organizations in a collaborative, inclusive environment.

Company Size

10,001+

Company Stage

IPO

Headquarters

McLean, Virginia

Founded

1914

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • September 2, 2026 Cyber Weapon Index and Guile productized Booz Allen's AI-security research.
  • August 2026 acquisition and July 2026 note financing signal aggressive expansion into higher-margin defense technology.
  • Funded backlog reached $4.7 billion in Q1 FY2027, supporting stronger second-half revenue visibility.

What critics are saying

  • January 26, 2026 Treasury canceled 31 contracts after the tax-records breach, cutting $4.8 million.
  • Civil revenue fell 23% in Q4 FY2026; management expects more weakness through FY2027.
  • Federal concentration creates existential risk: one major procurement freeze can crush Booz Allen's growth engine.

What makes Booz Allen unique

  • September 2026 Vellox Labs Guile counters autonomous AI intrusions with adaptive deception.
  • August 24, 2026 Ultra Mission Solutions added encryption, edge-compute, and mission software depth.
  • Booz Allen's 30-year no-fail national security relationships still win sticky defense and intelligence work.

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Benefits

Health Insurance

Life Insurance

Disability Insurance

401(k) Retirement Plan

Paid Vacation

Professional Development Budget

Remote Work Options

Flexible Work Hours

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

0%

1 year growth

0%

2 year growth

0%
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