About Cowboy Space Corp

Mission

Cowboy Space Corporation is solving the global energy crisis by building the infrastructure for abundant, resilient space-based solar energy. We are tackling one of humanity’s most complex engineering challenges with a world-class team dedicated to delivering a revolutionary power platform. Cowboy Space Corporation is transforming how civilization powers, computes, and connects - from orbit to Earth.

Background

Cowboy Space Corporation is building the infrastructure to power and connect the orbital economy. Our modular, scalable satellites collect sunlight in Low Earth Orbit to enable multiple integrated applications: transmitting energy via infrared lasers (space-to-Earth and space-to-space), powering on-orbit high-performance computing clusters (GPU/TPU), and providing secure, high-bandwidth optical data transport.

Current energy and data systems rely on complex logistics and outdated infrastructure. Cowboy Space Corporation overcomes these challenges by enabling direct, on-demand, secure, and scalable energy distribution and data processing from space. This will revolutionize how we operate in orbit and on Earth, supporting the rapidly expanding space industrial base, ISAM (In-Space Servicing, Assembly, and Manufacturing) operations, remote regions, and military bases.

Baiju Bhatt founded Cowboy Space Corporation in 2024. Inspired by his father’s work with NASA Langley Research Center, Baiju earned his B.S. in Physics and M.S. in Mathematics at Stanford before co-founding Robinhood, now a public company that has helped over 20 million Americans access the financial system. Cowboy Space Corporation has raised ~$365 million from Index Ventures, Interlagos, Construct Ventures, Breakthrough Energy Ventures, Andreessen Horowitz, NEA, and others.

This ambitious mission demands extraordinary talent. Cowboy Space Corporation’s team has worked at places like SpaceX, Blue Origin, Stoke Space, Astranis, and NASA, and is based in San Carlos, CA. If you're ready to solve complex technical challenges and help build the most important energy company in the world, we want to hear from you.

The Role

The Optical Engineer, Lasers & Photonics Engineer at Cowboy Space Corp. will play a key role in designing, developing, and optimizing high-power laser systems for our satellites.

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 for integration into a space-based platform

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 including BER, eye diagrams, and spectral measurements

Generate design specifications, assembly procedures, and test reports

Basic Qualifications

Bachelor's degree+ in Optical Engineering, Physics, Electrical Engineering, or related field

3+ years of hands-on experience with fiber-optic systems including splicing, component integration, and characterization

2+ years of professional laser beam characterization experience

Experience with optical diagnostics, optical relays, and imaging

Optical systems design and alignment (free-space optical)

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 a laser communications, defense, or aerospace photonics role