Optical Engineer

Interdisciplinary thinking and innovative Optical Engineer with analytical and comprehensive skills in EO/IR systems, fiber optics, and lasers

Objective

To gain employment with a company where my engineering experience and knowledge can be used effectively in a challenging, productive, and innovative environment.

Education

Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, Mathematics Minor – University of Alabama in Huntsville

Clearance

Secret

Professional Experience

CACI Technologies, Inc. 06/2007 – Present

Job Title: Engineer 3

• BETSS-C Operator: Site lead operator of a Rapid Aerostat Initial Deployment (RAID) 107ft tower in Afghanistan. Work effort focused on assisting the Battle Space Owner (BSO) with real-time events, mapping out historical points of origin sites (POO) of suspected mortar / rocket positions, and identifying other potential threats. Improved RAID video output from standard definition to high definition by employing a stand-alone video processor. Performed maintenance and troubleshooting tasks to ensure that the RAID tower maintains a high degree of mission capability. Operated Cerberus and Force Protection Suite (FPS) at smaller FOBs.

• Lens Cap (LC): Characterized absorption properties of a gas used as a counter-counter measure (CCM) to protect uncooled LWIR sensors against CO2 laser threats. Performed CO2 laser market analysis to ascertain magnitude of potential threat. Developed a software tool that predicts lens cap absorption performance for various gas concentrations / lens cap thicknesses. Submitted the Lens Cap Final Report to Night Vision and Electronic Sensor Directorate (NVESD).

• Future Weapons Sight (FWS) Technical Trade Study: Investigated and assessed Technology Readiness Levels of various components and systems that could potentially increase measures of performance / measures of effectiveness of individual / crew served weapons systems for PM SSL. Modeled various weapons sight systems using NVTherm to determine their range detection capabilities.

• See-Through-The-Wall (STTW): Wrote a significant portion of an Assessment of Alternatives (AoA) Final Report on the suitability and effectiveness of hand-held versus vehicle-based STTW technologies for PM SSL. Performed a Life Cycle Cost Analysis for both alternatives using Automated Cost Estimating Integrated Tools (ACEIT) software.

• Multispectral Auto-Aligning High Resolution (MAHR) Collimator: Assisted in drafting the MAHR technical specification document to solicit RFPs. Collimator is used to test and calibrate the next generation of thermal camera systems at the Naval Surface Warfare Center’s (NSWC) Crane Indiana division.

• Electronic Pan-and-Tilt Module (EPTM): Performed QA/QC compliance testing of various EPTMs for PM FLIR to include field tests as well as environmental testing per MIL-STD-810G.

• Counter-Sniper CCTV (CS-CCTV): Assisted in the building and testing of prototypes for user evaluation by PM FLIR. CS-CCTV consisted of a miniature day / LWIR camera and laser pointer mounted to a telescopic mast.

SSS Optical Technologies LLC 03/2004 – 12/2006

Job Title: Senior Engineer

• Researched and developed a highly selective and sensitive (several parts per billion) electro-optic based ammonia gas sensor. Applied and received a patent for this device: Chemical Sensor with an Indicator Dye and Nanoparticles.

• Specific duties were: designing and prototyping a miniaturized differential lock-in amplifier, simulating optical waveguides / optical lens systems, producing several working prototypes for the gas metrology industry, collaborating on a business plan, and meeting with prospective investors.

ECSI International Inc. 02/2001 – 11/2003

Job Title: Technician

• Work effort focused on production, configuration, and installation of a Fiber Optic Perimeter Intrusion Detection System (FOIDS). The fiber optic acoustic sensor was comprised of a Sagnac interferometer that was attached to a fence and calibrated to pick up acoustic disturbances of cut and climb intrusion events. FOIDS was installed at various sites to include: the Strategic Petroleum Reserves, Fort Bragg, and Saudi Aramco.

• Other responsibilities included: procurement, document generation, training, and customer support.

OPTS Inc. 10/1997 – 08/1999

Job Title: Technician

• Designed and built a green diode pumped solid-state laser. The active medium was an ultra-thin Nd:YVO4 crystal, and the intra-cavity frequency doubling medium was a periodically poled KTP crystal. Single-mode operation was achieved by independently controlling the amount of thermal lensing of the active medium, and temperature tuning the birefringent frequency doubling crystal in order to filter states of polarization that did not couple to the strongest lasing mode.

• Formulated a mathematical algorithm and numerically implementing it to calculate the amount of flux diffracted into the 1st diffractive order by a MEMS spatial light modulator.

• Prototyped signal conditioning circuitry used to acquire images from a high-speed segmented array CCD camera. This circuitry employed an analog to digital converter with internal sample and hold circuitry, and a field gate programmable array (FPGA).

Sanmina-SCI 03/1993 – 08/1997

Job Title: Technician

• Duties included: troubleshooting and debugging PCBs to the component level, performing delicate SMT rework / touchup operations associated with the production of SATCOM products and medical test equipment while adhering to ISO9000 manufacturing standards and MIL-SPEC soldering standards.

Technical Skills

Software

AutoCAD, Zemax, Photopia, LabVIEW, NVTherm, ACEIT, MATLAB, Microsoft Office, Adobe Photoshop

Other

• Proficient with laboratory devices: oscilloscopes, spectrum analyzers, network analyzers, photodetectors, lock-in amplifiers, waveform generators, autocorrelators, spectrometers, optical profilometers.

• Strong technical knowledge of thermal camera systems (SWIR, MWIR, LWIR).

• Demonstrated talent in researching and developing diode pumped solid-state lasers.

• Hands-on experience with fiber optic fusion splicers, power meters, and optical time domain reflectometers (OTDR).

• Skilled in PCB design and layout of analog and digital circuits.

• Experience with non-sequential ray tracing (modeled a compound parabolic concentrator (CPC) with various longitudinal / axial segmentations).

• Comprehensive technical writing skills (technical trade studies, assessment of alternatives, requirements development, and technical specification documents).

Patents

Chemical sensor with an indicator dye (USPTO Application #: 200********)

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