Optomechanical Engineer I

NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory; Pasadena (CA); On-site; USD 109,000 - 124,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, vision plans

Retirement plans

Paid time off

Flexible schedule

Parental leave

Job summary

Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, California seeks an Optomechanical Engineer I to lead the development of precision optical instruments. You will own hardware from concept through assembly and alignment, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams across spaceflight, airborne, and ground-based projects.

You should have a mechanical or optical engineering background with CAD/FEA experience and hands-on alignment skills.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical, optical engineering or related field, with 1 year of related experience.
• Experience with CAD tools (NX or SolidWorks) and mechanical drawings.
• Hands-on hardware integration and optical alignment knowledge.
• Team leadership experience across multidisciplinary projects.

Responsibilities

• Own optomechanical hardware through full lifecycle from design to precision alignment.
• Lead multidisciplinary teams delivering subsystems meeting requirements, cost, and schedule constraints.
• Use CAD tools to design instrument parts and GSE, including optics and mounts.
• Conduct structural FEA and STOP analyses.
• Support integration and test activities including precision alignment and environmental qualification.

Skills

CAD Tools

FEM/STOP analysis

Python/MATLAB

Optomechanical alignment

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's degree in mechanical/optical engineering

Master's degree in related field

Tools

NX or SolidWorks

Zemax CodeV

NASTRAN

Job description

Job Details

New ideas are all around us, but only a few will change the world. That’s our focus at JPL. We ask the biggest questions, then search the universe for answers—literally. We build upon ideas that have guided generations, then share our discoveries to inspire generations to come. Your mission—your opportunity—is to seek out the answers that bring us one step closer. If you’re driven to discover, create, and inspire something that lasts a lifetime and beyond, you’re ready for JPL.

Located in Pasadena, California, JPL has a campus-like environment situated on 177 acres in the foothills of the San Gabriel Mountains and offers a work environment unlike any other: we inspire passion, foster innovation, build collaboration, and reward excellence.

Responsibilities

The Instruments and Communications Division

is known for the development and infusion of technologies that enable advanced flight sensors, instruments, and deep space communications. Our expertise spans the entire electromagnetic spectrum — from Radio Frequency (RF) through ultraviolet (UV). Our product line ranges from quantum technology and flight systems, imaging spectrometers, microwave radiometers, scientific radars, mass spectrometers and other in situ instruments, ground and space-based RF and optical systems, and innovative sensors. We create novel material systems and fabrication techniques that unlock new concepts and mission architecture. We pioneer deep space communication theory, implement advanced communication systems, and develop navigational tracking to understand where we are and how to ensure robust engineering and science data return.

The Optics & Spectroscopy Section

provides world-leading capability and expertise in a wide range of technologies that are essential to the development of optical instruments. Section leadership and expertise are specifically applied to the development of advanced ground and space-based optical systems in the following areas: research and development of optics-related technologies; system architecture and concept definition; detailed optical system design, opto‑mechanical design, analysis, and implementation; optical hardware integration and alignment, test and calibration of optical instruments and systems.

We invite you to join the Optics & Spectroscopy Section to serve as an Optomechanical Engineer I.

You will be reporting administratively to the Group Supervisor of Optomechanical Engineering. The Optomechanical Engineering group develops and implements precision structure for optical instruments. Projects range from spaceflight, to airborne, ground, and testbed systems. Applications include large-aperture telescopes, spectrometers ranging from UV to IR, coronagraph components, and detector packaging.

Tasks may include but not be limited to:

• Own optomechanical hardware through its full lifecycle, including design, analysis, review, procurement, assembly, integration, and precision alignment
• Lead multidisciplinary teams and deliver subsystems or instruments that meet technical requirements, cost constraints, and schedule commitments
• Use CAD tools to design precision spaceflight instrument parts (including optics and kinematic mounts), airborne instrument parts, and/or ground support equipment (GSE)
• Conduct structural finite element analysis (FEA) and structural‑thermal‑optical performance (STOP) analysis
• Support integration and test (I&T) activities including precision alignment and environmental qualification

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering, optical engineering, or related technical field with a minimum of 1 year of related work experience; Master’s degree in similar fields with a minimum of 0 years of related work experience.
• Experience with CAD tools (e.g., NX or SolidWorks) and mechanical drawings
• Experience with analytical approaches (e.g., first-principles hand calculations, tolerance stackup analyses, FEA, STOP, and scripting languages)
• Hands‑on experience and practical knowledge in hardware integration, optical alignment, state‑of‑the‑art measurement techniques
• Team leadership experience, especially with multidisciplinary teams over multiple phases in the project lifecycle

Preferred skills:

• Experience with technical contract management (CTM) for vendors of complex optical and mechanical hardware
• Experience developing hardware from concept to flight
• Advanced knowledge of materials and processes (M&P; e.g., metallurgy or adhesive bonding)
• Experience defining subsystem requirements, verification plans, and presenting at lifecycle reviews (e.g., preliminary and critical design reviews; PDR and CDR)
• Experience with NASTRAN FEA software or a similar analysis package
• Experience with Zemax Optics Studio or CodeV optical design software tools
• Experience with Python or MATLAB programming languages, for both data analysis and instrumentation automation tasks

JPL has a catalog of benefits and perks that span from the traditional to the unique. This includes a variety of health, dental, vision, wellbeing, and retirement plans, paid time off, learning, rideshare, childcare, flexible schedule, parental leave and many more. Our focus is on work-life balance, and living healthy, fulfilling lives as we Dare Mighty Things Together. For benefits eligible positions, benefits are effective the first day of the month coincident with or immediately following the employee’s start date.

The hiring range displayed below is specifically for those who will work in or reside in the location listed. In extending an offer, Jet Propulsion Laboratory considers factors including, but not limited to, the candidate’s job related skills, experience, knowledge, and relevant education/training.

The typical full time equivalent annual hiring range for this job in Pasadena, California.

$108,784 - $123,552

JPL is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, citizenship, ancestry, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, pregnancy or perceived pregnancy, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status or any other characteristic or condition protected by Federal, state or local law.

In addition, JPL is a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

EEO is the Law.

EEO is the Law Supplement

Pay Transparency Nondiscrimination Provision

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory is a federal facility. Due to rules imposed by NASA, JPL will not accept applications from citizens of designated countries or those born in a designated country unless they are U.S. Citizens, Legal Permanent Residents of the U.S or have other protected status under 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3). The Designated Countries List is available here.