Employee Spotlight: Christopher Mulherin, Optical Process Engineer

Part of our Employee Spotlight series, where we introduce the people behind EvolvOptic’s precision optics.

Some of the most demanding optics ever made — meter-class mirrors, ultra-lightweight space optics — have passed through the hands of EvolvOptic’s Christopher Mulherin. As an Optical Process Engineer, Christopher brings that rare depth of experience to our shop floor every day, managing conventional plano and spherical glass shaping and mentoring the next generation of EvolvOptic technicians and engineers.

From Meter-Class Mirrors to Space Optics

Christopher’s résumé reads like a tour of precision optics at its most extreme. At QED Optics and L3Harris Space and Airborne Systems, he worked alongside senior engineers and technicians on the deterministic finishing of optical substrates exceeding one meter in diameter — the kind of work where tolerances are unforgiving and there is no margin for guesswork.

Along the way, he developed proprietary polishing technologies and slurries that significantly accelerated production of finished optics, and he generated, fine-ground, and polished core solids for ultra-lightweight space optics. His technical range spans complex CNC polishing platforms and high-precision interferometric testing — the measurement discipline that proves an optic meets its contractual specifications, not just approximately, but exactly.

A Career Built Across the Whole Fabrication Lifecycle

Before that, Christopher served as Fabrication Shop Manager at Optical Mechanics, Inc., leading a team of technicians in grinding and aspherizing optics. The role stretched well beyond the shop floor into opto-mechanical design, technical sales, and international system installations — experience that gives him an unusually complete view of how an optic goes from raw material to installed system.

Certified in lean manufacturing and heavy rigging, Christopher pairs a meticulous approach to quality control with a deep understanding of every stage of optical fabrication.

Passing It On

What sets Christopher apart at EvolvOptic isn’t just what he can make — it’s what he teaches. He actively mentors both technicians and engineers in advanced manufacturing techniques, including the artisanal shaping skills that no machine can replicate. In an industry where hands-on expertise is increasingly hard to find, that mentorship is how EvolvOptic keeps its craft sharp for the long run.

We’re proud to have Christopher on the team — and our customers see the results of his precision in every optic we ship.

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