Photonics Engineer - Fiber Amplifiers, Satellites (Starlink)

<div class="content-intro"><p>SpaceX was founded under the belief that a future where humanity is out exploring the stars is fundamentally more exciting than one where we are not. Today SpaceX is actively developing the technologies to make this possible, with the ultimate goal of&nbsp;enabling human life on Mars.</p></div><p><strong>PHOTONICS ENGINEER - FIBER AMPLIFIERS, SATELLITES (STARLINK)&nbsp;</strong></p> <p>Starlink is the world’s largest satellite constellation and the leading global satellite internet provider. The laser communications team develops the high-power optical links that interconnect Starlink satellites enabling a high-throughput, low-latency global network. This role focuses on the fiber amplifier systems that are central to those links: high-performance, high-reliability amplifiers that must operate in the extreme thermal, radiation, and vacuum environment of space.</p> <p><strong>RESPONSIBILITIES</strong>:</p> <ul> <li>Own the development of fiber amplifier systems for laser communications, including requirements definition, system design and analysis, and design validation.</li> <li>Conduct validation and verification testing, including environmental qualification (thermal, TVAC, and radiation considerations), performance characterization, reliability testing, and fault injection testing</li> <li>Work closely with manufacturing and supply chain teams to ensure final designs can be manufactured in accordance with overall project goals</li> <li>Represent the photonic system in program-level, cross-disciplinary trades and issue resolution</li> <li>Lead optical architecture definition through internal trade studies, concept of operations definition, and risk reduction testing</li> <li>Lead anomaly investigations through to resolution.</li> <li>Maintain link budgets, design specifications, and system capabilities data.</li> <li>Collaborate with software and automation teams to develop tools and protocols for automated tested of fiber amplifier systems.</li> <li>Represent laser communications systems for reliability and risk discussions with internal reliability teams, management, customers, and vendors.</li> </ul> <p><strong>BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li>Bachelor’s degree in physics, optics, electrical engineering, or other engineering/STEM discipline</li> <li>2+ years of hands-on laboratory or work experience in fiber-based optical systems/networks, integrated photonics chips, or fiber laser technology (university lab, student project, or internship experience qualifies)</li> <li>1+ years of experience in a computer programming language (e.g. C++, MATLAB, and/or Python)</li> </ul> <p><strong>PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:&nbsp;</strong></p> <ul> <li>Master's degree or PhD in physics or an engineering discipline</li> <li>Minimum of 5 years of experience in engineering capacity in the field of fiber amplifiers, laser systems, or opto-electronics.</li> <li>Hands-on experience in fiber amplifier design, integration, and test</li> <li>Experience with high-power fiber system design, mitigation of non-linearities, and thermal management</li> <li>Hands-on experience with optical pump lasers, fiber combiners, filters, and large-mode-area (LMA) fiber, electro-optic modulators.</li> <li>Competence with fiber optics processing and handling (cleaving, stripping, splicing, recoating, glass processing, etc.)</li> <li>Experience with characterizing fiber laser systems using optical test equipment (power meters, spectral analyzers, high-speed photodiodes, oscilloscopes, laser sources, beam profilers)</li> <li>Knowledge of and experience in precision metrology techniques, manufacturing and integration processes</li> <li>Experience leading the development of commercial photonics products</li> <li>Experience with hardware development for high-reliability applications</li> <li>Competence with Python scripting and a Linux operating system environment</li> <li>Ability to work in a fast-paced, autonomously