Product and Mechanical Engineering Lead

About the role

You’ll lead the design and industrialization of Azora’s optical communication terminals — both terrestrial and space-bound. The goal is hardware that’s not just functional in the lab but repeatable, reliable, and producible at volume. If you’ve taken compact optical or imaging products from a working prototype to a mass-producible design, this is built for you. You’ll own system architecture and partner closely with electrical, mechanical, and optical engineers to deliver compact, integrated products that survive real-world environments and a real production line.

Responsibilities

• Lead optical, electrical, and mechanical integration into compact, manufacturable terminals.
• Own full system architecture, working with electrical and mechanical engineers to hit size, performance, and producibility targets.
• Drive robustness and tolerance engineering — tolerance stack-ups, worst-case analysis, and design margins drawn from consumer or industrial product practice.
• Design for manufacturing and assembly (DFM/DFA), and stand up a repeatable build process across internal and external manufacturing.
• Plan and oversee electrical safety and EMC/EMI compliance testing (e.g., FCC Part 15, CE/UKCA, relevant IEC safety standards).
• Balance cost and performance across the design, making the trades that keep the product both buildable and competitive.

Requirements

• Track record taking compact, complex products from design through to mass production.
• Hands-on experience with optical, electrical, and mechanical integration.
• Strong robustness and tolerance engineering for consumer or industrial products.
• Demonstrated ownership of full system architecture in a cross-disciplinary team.
• Familiarity with electrical safety and EMC compliance testing.

Nice to have

• A hands-on engineer who wants technical contribution across every part of the product.
• Autonomous systems experience, including software control of complex hardware.
• Experience managing both internal and external manufacturing.
• Cost/performance engineering at the product level.
• Free-space optics, laser comms, or precision optical product background.

Location

This is an onsite/hybrid role based in the Bay Area, CA – hardware work that’s hard to do remotely. Some travel expected for field deployment and vendor/manufacturing visits.

Benefits

• Generous equity
• Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)
• 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO

Pay

• Level 1 (starting from $130,000 USD): 3-5 years of experience in relevant roles.
• Level 2 (starting from $160,000 USD): 5-15 years of experience in relevant roles.

Final salary is based on geographic location, experience, skills, and qualifications.

Export Control

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident, (iii) protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.