Job Description
The Senior Optical Manufacturing Engineer will lead the development, scaling, and oversight of high-precision optical telescope assembly, integration, and testing processes for satellite production, collaborating with cross-functional teams to ensure manufacturability and quality in a cleanroom environment.
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and scale assembly, integration, and test operations for satellite optical payloads
- Establish high-precision manufacturing processes for optical telescope components
- Translate optical telescope designs into sustainable, high-yield production environments
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create assembly procedures and work instructions
- Design and develop mechanical and electrical tooling, fixtures, and ground support equipment
- Perform data analysis for alignment, calibration, and characterization of imaging systems
- Drive resolution of non-conformances and implement corrective actions
- Provide design for manufacturability and assembly feedback to design teams
- Oversee external vendors and suppliers involved in optical component manufacturing
- Train optical production technicians and support transition from R&D to production
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Optical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
- 6 years of total relevant experience, of which 3 years directly in the assembly, integration, alignment, and test of complex optical instruments, telescopes, or space-based imaging payloads
- Hands-on experience with complex optomechanical assembly, alignment, integration, and bonding in a cleanroom environment
- Experience leveraging technical software for design and analysis, e.g., Zemax, MATLAB, Python, and/or C
- Expertise in reading technical drawings and using SolidWorks or equivalent CAD software to develop tooling and fixtures
- Experience defining and implementing manufacturing processes in a production environment, including New Product Introduction (NPI)
- Excellent attention to detail and technical writing skills for creating detailed and accurate procedures, test plans, and data summaries
- Application of knowledge to support the assembly, integration, and test of optical telescope payloads
- Ability to develop and support optical telescope assembly procedures and work instructions including precise metrology, warm and cold alignment, and performance testing of telescopes and imaging systems
- Design, develop, and implement mechanical and electrical tooling, fixtures, and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for optical telescope assembly and test in a cleanroom
- Perform analysis of measured data for alignment, calibration, and characterization of imaging systems, and monitor production metrics
- Drive timely resolution of non-conformances (NCRs), identify root causes, and implement corrective actions and continuous improvement processes
- Provide technical oversight for external vendors and suppliers involved in optical component manufacturing and assembly
- Participate in the training of optical production technicians to transition the manufacturing line from R&D to production
- Recommend facilities and capital equipment improvements to scale manufacturing processes
- Access to export-controlled information, with the ability to do so without additional export licensing being required by the Bureau of Industry and Security and/or the Directorate of Defense Trade Controls
Benefits & Perks
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Commuter Benefits if local to an office
Discretionary short-term and long-term incentives bonus and equity
US base salary range: $144,500 - $180,600 USD
Ready to Apply?
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