Opto-Mechanical Systems Lead Engineer

Hardware FYI; Seattle, Northern (WA, KY); Hybrid; USD 198,000 - 277,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Relocation assistance

Stock options

Paid time off

401(k) with company match

Job summary

Blue Origin's Emerging Systems is seeking an exceptional engineer to provide technical leadership in opto-mechanical design for the TeraWave constellation. You will develop critical optical systems including telescopes and gimbal assemblies while guiding avionics enclosures and optical ground stations.

Responsibilities include leading mechanism architecture, defining performance requirements, and overseeing qualification tests in space environments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 8+ years of precision mechanisms design for space/aerospace.
• Experience designing, analyzing, manufacturing, and qualifying gimbals or multi-axis pointing mechanisms for space environments.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD and finite element analysis tools.
• Experience with mechanism kinematics, dynamics, and structural analysis.
• Knowledge of space qualification testing (vibration, shock, thermal vacuum, life testing).
• Strong understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-up analysis, and interface control documentation.

Responsibilities

• Lead architectural design and development of precision gimbal assemblies and pointing mechanisms for space-based optical terminals.
• Define performance requirements, error budgets, and design margins across structural, thermal, and dynamic domains.
• Drive design trades for gimbal configurations balancing mass, volume, stiffness, pointing accuracy, and on-orbit lifetime.
• Lead mechanism qualification programs including component- and system-level testing in shock, vibration, and thermal vacuum environments.
• Develop and maintain mechanism design standards, analysis workflows, and documentation for hardware builds and tests.
• Provide technical guidance on mechanism integration, harness routing, and interface control.
• Mentor junior/mid-level engineers in mechanisms design principles and space qualification practices.
• Support production transition through DFM improvements, tolerance analysis, and supplier development.

Skills

Mechanisms design

Kinematics & dynamics

GD&T

Interface control

DFM/ DFA

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Creo/NX/SolidWorks

ANSYS/NASTRAN/COMSOL

Job description

Blue Origin's Emerging Systems is seeking an exceptional engineer to provide technical leadership in opto-mechanical design for the TeraWave constellation. You will develop critical optical systems including telescopes and gimbal assemblies while guiding avionics enclosures and optical ground stations.

Responsibilities include leading mechanism architecture, defining performance requirements, and overseeing qualification tests in space environments.