Principal Optical Engineer

Date Posted:

2026-11-02



Country:

United States of America



Location:

US-TX-MCKINNEY-513WB ~ 2501 W University Dr ~ WING B BLDG



Position Role Type:

Onsite



U.S. Citizen, U.S. Person, or Immigration Status Requirements:

The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. government issued security clearance is required.​ U.S. citizenship is required, as only U.S. citizens are eligible for a security clearance



Security Clearance Type:

DoD Clearance: Secret



Security Clearance Status:

Active and existing security clearance required after day 1

At RTX, the world's largest aerospace and defense company, 185,000 great minds are united by purpose and inspired to make a difference solving the world’s most complex problems. With our three market leading businesses, world-class operations and investments in research and development, we offer capabilities and opportunity no one else can. Together, we push the boundaries of known science and find new ways to connect and protect our world.

Raytheon brings the strength of more than 100 years of experience and renowned engineering expertise to meet the needs of today’s mission and stay ahead of tomorrow’s threat. We deliver solutions that help our nation and allies defend freedom and deter aggression, creating a safer, more secure world. Join us and help shape the future of aerospace and defense.

The Airborne & Ground Optics Department at Raytheon supports our customers’ missions by providing advanced Electro-Optical / Infrared (EO/IR) and Laser products and solutions. Our organization helps drive the success of Raytheon’s programs across all phases of the product lifecycle, from initial concept through design, development, integration, production and sell-off. By joining our engineering team, you will have the opportunity to design, test, and deliver product capabilities for precision EO/IR and High Energy Laser systems which provide situational awareness and a tactical advantage for our customers.

This is an onsite position located in our McKinney, TX location.

What You Will Do

• Design, test, and deliver product capabilities for precision EO/IR and High Energy Laser systems which provide situational awareness and a tactical advantage for our customers.

• Apply your knowledge and experience in optical design to support the design, analysis, and development of advanced airborne and ground-based imagers, passive and active electro-optical infrared systems, high energy lasers, LADARs, and specialized test equipment.

• Apply the principles of optical design, tolerancing, and performance analysis to support the development of new advanced capabilities within these domains.

• Create optical drawings and collaborate with vendors for custom components.

• Occasionally manage small to moderate projects, including planning, scheduling, documentation, and communication of progress.
• Perform critical opto-mechanical alignments, assisting with optical design tasks such as modeling, simulation and tolerancing, assembling optical and laser diagnostic test equipment, testing and troubleshooting laser and optical assemblies, and supporting product tests and demonstrations.

Qualifications You Must Have

• Typically requires a degree in Science, Technology, Engineering or Mathematics (STEM) and a minimum of 8 years of prior relevant experience or an advanced degree in a related field and minimum 5 years’ experience.

• Experience with optical design and analysis software (e.g., CodeV, Zemax OpticStudio, TracePro), including experience developing macros or scripts.

• Experience with optical alignment, testing, and manufacturing methods, including component inspection, cleaning, bonding, and use of cleanroom environments.

• Experience with EO/IR/laser system integration, troubleshooting, and laser characterization (beam quality, wavefront error, noise).

• Experience with data reduction and analysis, including error analysis

• Experience with optical component inspection, cleaning and bonding

Qualifications We Prefer

• An advanced degree in Optics Sciences or Optics Engineering.

• Experience in a customer-facing role.

• Experience writing test, assembly, and calibration procedures.

• Experience writing and portion marking classified documents in a proprietary environment.

• Experience with structural, thermal, and optical performance modeling and analysis.

• Experience with opto-mechanical tolerancing.

• Experience with nonsequential optical analysis.

• Experience modeling optomechanical systems in CREO.

• Familiarity with mechanical design processes.

• Experience working with high‑power lasers.

• Proficiency in a scientific programming language such as MATLAB or Python.

• Proficiency with laser characterization tests such as beam quality, wavefront-error, and laser noise measurements

• Existing security clearance

What We Offer

• A total rewards package that goes above and beyond with compensation; healthcare, wellness, and work/life benefits; career development and recognition programs. Some of the benefits we offer include parental (including paternal) leave, flexible work schedules, achievement awards, educational assistance and child/adult backup care.
• Our values drive our actions, behaviors, and performance with a vision for a safer, more connected world. At RTX we value: Trust, Respect, Accountability, Collaboration, Innovation, and Safety.
• Relocation assistance available.

Learn More & Apply Now!

• Employees who are working in Onsite roles will work primarily onsite. This includes all production and maintenance employees, as they are essential to the development of our products.
• This position requires onsite work in McKinney, TX: North Texas: https://careers.rtx.com/global/en/raytheon-north-texas-location
• This position requires security clearance. DCSA Consolidated Adjudication Services (DCSA CAS), an agency of the Department of Defense, handles and adjudicates the security clearance process. More information about Security Clearances can be found on the US Department of State government website here: https://www.state.gov/m/ds/clearances/c10978.htm

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As part of our commitment to maintaining a secure hiring process, candidates may be asked to attend select steps of the interview process in-person at one of our office locations, regardless of whether the role is designated as on-site, hybrid or remote.

The salary range for this role is 107,500 USD - 204,500 USD. The salary range provided is a good faith estimate representative of all experience levels. RTX 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.
Hired applicants may be eligible for benefits, including but not limited to, medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short-term disability, long-term disability, 401(k) match, flexible spending accounts, flexible work schedules, employee assistance program, Employee Scholar Program, parental leave, paid time off, and holidays. Specific benefits are dependent upon the specific business unit as well as whether or not the position is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement.
Hired applicants may be eligible for annual short-term and/or long-term incentive compensation programs depending on the level of the position and whether or not it is covered by a collective-bargaining agreement. Payments under these annual programs are not guaranteed and are dependent upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, individual performance, business unit performance, and/or the company’s performance.
This role is a U.S.-based role. If the successful candidate resides in a U.S. territory, the appropriate pay structure and benefits will apply.
RTX anticipates the application window closing approximately 40 days from the date the notice was posted. However, factors such as candidate flow and business necessity may require RTX to shorten or extend the application window.

RTX is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any other applicable state or federal protected class. RTX provides affirmative action in employment for qualified Individuals with a Disability and Protected Veterans in compliance with Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act.

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