Optical Engineer, Laser and Photonics

About the Company

Cowboy Space Corp. is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our satellites operate in Low Earth Orbit to collect sunlight and enable a new class of capabilities—from powering on-orbit compute, to transmitting energy via infrared lasers and delivering secure, high-bandwidth optical data.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop high-power fiber laser and amplifier systems for space-based applications
• Characterize laser sources including linewidth, phase noise, RIN, and spectral purity
• Select, integrate, and qualify fiber-optic components and subsystems
• Perform and supervise fiber splicing and assembly of fiber-optic subassemblies
• Model and measure fiber nonlinearity effects including SBS and SPM
• Design and align coherent fiber-optic receivers
• Develop and execute test plans for optical performance verification
• Generate design specifications, assembly procedures, and test reports

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field
• 3+ years of hands-on experience with fiber-optic systems
• Experience with rare-earth-doped fiber amplifiers
• Familiarity with fiber-optic communications modulation formats
• Experience operating OSAs, power meters, polarimeters, and high-speed oscilloscopes

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's or PhD in Optical Engineering, Physics, or related discipline
• Hands-on experience building and characterizing MOPA fiber amplifier chains
• Familiarity with SBS, SPM, and other nonlinearity effects in high-power fiber systems
• Experience with interferometric optical receivers or coherent detection front-ends
• 5+ years of experience in laser communications, defense, or aerospace photonics
• Experience with free-space optical communications or LEO inter-satellite links
• Experience with environmental validation of space-based laser systems
• Experience with Class 4 laser lab environments

Benefits

• Equity in Cowboy Space Corp.
• Medical, dental, and vision insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan
• Paid time off and 10 paid holidays
• Paid parental leave
• Relocation assistance
• Daily lunch and fully stocked kitchen