Pointing and Tracking Optomechanical Engineer

Azora; Phoenix (AZ); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous equity

Competitive healthcare

401(k)

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Azora is seeking an experienced engineer to own the productization of compact pointing, acquisition, and tracking optomechanical subsystems for modular optical ground stations and space terminals.

You will guide fine- and coarse-pointing systems from prototype to field qualification, ensuring microradian stability across weather and platform conditions, including field campaigns at ground stations in Tempe, AZ or the Bay Area.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical/Optical/Aerospace engineering or related field.
• 3+ years designing precision optomechanical systems.
• Experience with CAD and FEA tools for high-stability assemblies.
• Hands-on alignment and testing of optical subsystems.

Responsibilities

• Design optomechanical assemblies for beam steering components.
• Perform structural, thermal, and STOP analyses to verify stability.
• Develop pointing error budgets and derive component requirements.
• Select and qualify actuators, encoders, bearings, and flexures.
• Lead alignment, integration, and field tests of optical assemblies.
• Collaborate with software and electrical teams to close the loop.

Skills

Optomechanical design

CAD proficiency

FEA analysis

GD&T

Laboratory alignment/testing

Education

BSc or MS in Mechanical, Optical, or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Creo

ANSYS/Nastran

Zemax/OpticStudio

CODE V

Job description

Own the productization of compact pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) optomechanical subsystems for Azora's modular optical ground stations and space terminals. You will guide the process of fine-steering and coarse-pointing systems from commercial prototype through field qualification, ensuring microradian-class stability no matter the weather or platform where the Azora systems are located.

Role

Own the productization of compact pointing, acquisition, and tracking (PAT) optomechanical subsystems for Azora's modular optical ground stations and space terminals. You will guide the process of fine-steering and coarse-pointing systems from commercial prototype through field qualification, ensuring microradian-class stability no matter the weather or platform where the Azora systems are located.

Responsibilities

• Design optomechanical assemblies for beam steering: gimbals, fast-steering mirrors (FSMs), telescope mounts, relay optics, and fiber-coupling stages.
• Perform structural, thermal, and STOP (structural-thermal-optical performance) analysis to verify line-of-sight stability and wavefront error budgets.
• Develop pointing error budgets covering base motion, jitter, thermal drift, and control-loop residuals, and flow them down to component requirements.
• Design, select and qualify actuators, encoders, bearings, and flexures for ground and space environments.
• Lead alignment, integration, and test of optical assemblies in the field.
• Support acquisition and tracking field campaigns at ground station sites, including troubleshooting under real atmospheric conditions.
• Work closely with software, electrical and network engineers to close the loop between lab-based mechanical design and to autonomous optical communications with space assets.

Required Qualifications

• BSc or MS in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field.
• 3+ years of optomechanical design experience for precision optical systems (laser communications, telescopes, directed energy, or similar).
• Proficiency with CAD (SolidWorks, NX, Creo, or similar) and FEA tools (ANSYS, Nastran, or similar).
• Hands‑on experience aligning and testing optical assemblies in a lab environment.
• Working knowledge of GD&T, tolerance analysis, and precision machining practices.

Preferred

• Experience with fast-steering mirrors, gimbal design, or telescope pointing systems.
• Familiarity with STOP analysis workflows and optical design tools (Zemax/OpticStudio, CODE V).
• Experience qualifying hardware for launch and on-orbit environments (vibration, shock, thermal vacuum).
• Field experience with optical ground stations or astronomical instrumentation.

Location

This is an onsite/hybrid role based in Tempe, AZ or the Bay Area, CA – hardware work that’s hard to do remotely. Some travel expected for field deployment and vendor/manufacturing visits.

Benefits:

• Generous equity
• Competitive healthcare (including options for vision and dental)
• 401(k)
• Unlimited PTO

EEO & Reasonable Accommodations

• Azora is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
• If you need a reasonable accommodation as part of your application for employment or interviews with us, please let us know by contacting [e-mail]

Export Control

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicants must be a (i) U.S. citizen or national, (ii) U.S. lawful permanent resident (iii) protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or (iv) be eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Salary ranges are based on the following criteria:

• Final salary is based on geographic location, experience, skills, and qualifications.

About this Company

Azora is building high-bandwidth communications infrastructure for environments where fiber can’t reach. This work spans LEO spacecraft constellations, lunar exploration missions, GEO satcom, deployable optical ground for defense, and data centers both on- and off-world. To enable rapid global proliferation Azora is developing compact and modular optical terminals small enough to deploy from a backpack, and space terminals that support high speed optical links from LEO out to the Moon.