Optomechanical Engineer

Cosmic Frontier Labs; San Francisco (CA); On-site; USD 120,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical coverage

Vision coverage

Dental coverage

Life insurance

Disability insurance

HSA/FSA

One Medical

401(k) plan

Wellness programs

Commuter benefits

Work-from-home stipend

Job summary

Cosmic Frontier Labs in San Francisco is seeking an experienced optomechanical engineer to design and build structures that keep precision optics aligned through launch and in orbit.

You will own tolerancing and alignment strategies, work with fabrication and metrology to turn designs into real parts, and contribute to a fast-moving startup focused on high-reliability space hardware.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering plus 4+ years designing precision optomechanical systems.
• Experience designing optical mounts, benches, and interfaces for vibration and thermal loads.
• Ownership of tolerancing and alignment strategies using GD&T and metrology-driven verification.
• Hands-on CAD-to-fabrication with machinists and test teams.

Responsibilities

• Design mounts, benches, kinematic interfaces, and alignment features that preserve optical performance through vibration and thermal swings
• Own tolerancing and alignment strategy, including what we measure, how we shim, and how we verify
• Work closely with fabrication and metrology to turn designs into real parts that assemble cleanly

Skills

Optomechanical design

Tolerance analysis

GD&T

CAD to fabrication

Alignment strategy

Vibration & thermal design

Spaceflight hardware

Education

Mechanical Engineering

Aerospace Engineering

Job description

Cosmic Frontier’s mission is to dramatically expand access to high performance space telescopes, democratize the scientific process, and build tools for exploring the Universe.

Cosmic Frontier team members own the full lifecycle of spaceflight hardware and software, from early architecture through flight. We build and fly real hardware. The systems you build will go to orbit within the next two years.

Role Description:

We’re looking for an optomechanical engineer to design and build the structures that keep precision optics aligned through launch and stable on orbit.

If you enjoy making optics survive the real world without losing performance, we want to talk.

What you’ll do:

• Design mounts, benches, kinematic interfaces, and alignment features that preserve optical performance through vibration and thermal swings
• Own tolerancing and alignment strategy, including what we measure, how we shim, and how we verify
• Work closely with fabrication and metrology to turn designs into real parts that assemble cleanly

What Success looks like in the first 90 days:

• Produce a v1 mechanical architecture for the optical bench and mount strategy with tolerances that close
• Define the alignment flow and metrology plan for the next build
• Deliver a short list of the top mechanical stability risks and the design changes that retire them

Required qualifications:

• Strong education background in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field, plus 4 or more years designing precision optomechanical systems for real hardware
• Strong experience designing optical mounts, benches, and kinematic interfaces that maintain alignment through vibration, shock, and thermal loads
• Demonstrated ownership of tolerancing and alignment strategies, including GD and T, stack analysis, and metrology driven verification
• Hands on experience taking designs from CAD to fabrication to assembly, working directly with machinists and test teams

Desired Qualifications:

• Experience with spaceflight hardware or high reliability aerospace systems
• Background in structural and thermal analysis as it relates to optical stability
• Familiarity with vibration testing, environmental qualification, and launch load environments
• Comfort operating in a fast moving startup environment where you own decisions and close the loop between design and hardware
• Medical, dental, vision, reproductive healthcare, HSA/FSA, life and disability insurance, One Medical.
• 401(k), education benefits, cell phone and Wi-Fi reimbursement, one-time work-from-home stipend, commuter benefits, wellness programs.

Export control:

Due to the nature of the products and information handled in this role, employment is restricted to U.S. Persons as defined by U.S. export control laws.

Salary Band:

• L4: $120,000 – $160,000
• L5: $170,000 – $250,000

Diversity and Inclusion:

We encourage anyone who is excited about this role to apply, even if you don’t meet 100% of the qualifications. We value builders with strong judgment, high ownership, and a track record of making complex systems work in the real world.

Recruiting, hiring, mentoring, and retaining a diverse workforce is critical to our success. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

Cosmic Frontier Labs is a Program and Operating Division of the Renaissance Philanthropy Fund. Renaissance Philanthropy is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.

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