Pointing and Tracking Optomechanical Engineer

Azora; San Francisco (CA); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous equity

Competitive healthcare

401(k)

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Azora seeks an experienced optical/mechanical engineer to own productization of PAT optomechanical subsystems for modular ground stations and space terminals. You will guide fine- and coarse-pointing systems from prototype through field qualification, ensuring microradian stability across weather and platforms.

You will collaborate with software, electrical, and network teams to close the loop between lab design and autonomous optical communications with space assets and support field campaigns

Qualifications

• BSc or MSc in Mechanical, Optical, or Aerospace Engineering.
• 3+ years in optomechanical design for precision optical systems.
• Proficiency with CAD and FEA tools.
• Hands-on alignment and testing of optical assemblies.

Responsibilities

• Design optomechanical assemblies for beam steering components.
• Perform structural, thermal, and STOP analyses for LOS stability.
• Develop pointing error budgets and derive component requirements.
• Select and qualify actuators, encoders, bearings, and flexures.
• Lead alignment, integration, and testing of optical assemblies in the field.
• Support field campaigns at ground stations and troubleshoot atmospheric effects.
• Collaborate with software, electrical, and network teams to close mechanical-optical loop.

Skills

Optomechanical design

CAD (SolidWorks/NX/Creo)

FEA tools (ANSYS/Nastran)

Lab alignment & testing

GD&T & tolerance analysis

Education

BSc or MSc in Mechanical/Optical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Zemax/OpticStudio

CODE V

CAD packages

Job description

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.