Lead Hardware Architect – Flight-Qualified LiDAR Seeker

Wintermeyer Ventures; Hawthorne (CA); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Wintermeyer Ventures seeks a senior hardware leader to own the LiDAR seeker system from concept to flight-ready hardware. You will architect the entire physical stack, translating photonics concepts into a ruggedized, flight-qualified platform.

This is a first-architecture role with high ownership; you’ll deliver a prototype and CAD model within 60–90 days, drive certification, and build a small team of engineers.

Qualifications

• 8+ years of hardware engineering experience in EO or active sensing systems.
• Experience designing or integrating a seeker or payload on a missile program.
• Strong optomechanical design: lens mounting, seeker packaging, PCB placement in constrained form factors.
• Hands-on missile qualification certifications and ruggedization for high-G environments.
• Proficiency with CAD tools such as SolidWorks and systems engineering for EO/LiDAR platforms.
• Familiarity with MIL-STD-810 environmental testing (shock, vibration, thermal).
• Experience leading or hiring a small hardware engineering team.
• Degree in mechanical, electrical, optical engineering, or physics.
• U.S. Person status required (ITAR); ability to obtain a security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Define the full hardware architecture for the LiDAR seeker system, including mechanical packaging, lens mounting, PCB placement, and seeker diameter.
• Deliver a physical prototype and CAD model within 60–90 days to demonstrate form factor and system capabilities.
• Own the certification and qualification process for mounting the seeker on partner missile platforms, including all compliance documentation.
• Serve as the integration layer between photonics and electrical teams, packaging optical and power architectures into a ruggedized, high-G system.
• Hire and lead a small hardware team, setting the technical bar for the group.

Skills

Hardware engineering

Optomechanical design

Team leadership

Missile program experience

Systems engineering

Security clearance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Optical/Electrical Engineering or Physics

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Wintermeyer Ventures seeks a senior hardware leader to own the LiDAR seeker system from concept to flight-ready hardware. You will architect the entire physical stack, translating photonics concepts into a ruggedized, flight-qualified platform.

This is a first-architecture role with high ownership; you’ll deliver a prototype and CAD model within 60–90 days, drive certification, and build a small team of engineers.