Opto-Mechanical Engineer (Principal)

About the role

Serve as a technical subject matter expert in structural analysis and precision opto-mechanical systems. Perform cross-functional structural and dynamic analysis in collaboration with controls, optical, and systems engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Design and develop precision mechanical components and assemblies, including pointing, tracking, and stabilization mechanisms.
• Develop detailed CAD models and production-ready mechanical designs using SolidWorks or similar tools.
• Perform FEA and multiphysics analysis to validate designs against launch, vibration, thermal, and operational environments.
• Analyze and optimize line-of-sight (LOS) stability and structural performance across the spacecraft operating environment.
• Conduct rapid FEA and quantitative design trades to support architecture and mechanism decisions.
• Export structural transfer functions and other analysis results to support controls-system development.
• Identify opportunities to improve system performance, reduce mass and cost, increase reliability, and improve manufacturability.
• Support the selection and integration of actuators, sensors, bearings, structural materials, launch locks, and passive vibration isolation systems.
• Develop and maintain engineering documentation, including drawings, GD&T, BOMs, tolerance budgets, mass budgets, and first article inspection requirements.
• Collaborate with optical, systems, controls, electrical, manufacturing, and test engineers to ensure mechanical designs meet system-level requirements.
• Support hardware development through design reviews, prototyping, assembly, integration, environmental testing, and qualification.
• Contribute to mechanical engineering standards, design practices, analysis methodologies, and technical best practices.
• Mentor engineers and contribute to the technical development of the broader mechanical engineering team.
• Support hiring, onboarding, and development of mechanical engineering talent and help build a culture of technical excellence.
• Work closely with manufacturing partners and vendors to resolve technical issues and ensure successful production of flight hardware.

What You Bring

• 12+ years of experience designing, building, and testing flight hardware in the space industry, with multiple programs through on-orbit operations.
• Mastery of Finite Element Analysis methods.
• Experience with Multiphysics simulation (FEMAP, ANSYS, NASTRAN).
• Proficiency in SolidWorks design and large assembly management in SolidWorks PDM, or similar PLM.
• Optomechanical instrument or payload design experience.
• Skill with producing drawings, GD&T, BOMs, FAIs, tolerance budgets, and mass budgets.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and coordination skills.
• M.S. or higher in Structural Engineering or related field.

Desired Qualifications

• Quantitative design of pointing mechanisms for precision pointing in space environment of vibration, temperature variation and radiation.
• FEA analysis concurrent with design to verify LOS stability over environment.
• Quick FEA analysis to support quantitative design trades.
• FEA export of transfer functions to support controls analysis.
• Collaboration with other ME, optical, system and controls engineers to meet system requirements.
• Experience with selection of actuators (motors, voice coil, piezo), structural materials, sensors to support system objectives.
• Experience with bearing selection, launch lock and passive vibration suppression for space payloads.