Senior Mechanical Engineer

Optical Engines Inc; Colorado Springs (CO); On-site; USD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

4 weeks paid time off per year

9 paid holidays per year

Health, Vision and Dental paid 100% by

401k with company matching

Tuition Assistance for Continuing Ed

Job summary

Optical Engines is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own and drive the mechanical design of high power laser systems and optical devices at our Colorado Springs, CO facility. You will mentor engineers, work in a hands-on R&D environment, and oversee fabrication, assembly, and rigorous testing to validate design choices.

The role requires hands-on machining with high-precision fixtures, tolerance analysis, and collaboration with vendors to meet stringent specs.

Qualifications

• B.S. or advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Owns and drives the mechanical design of high power laser systems and optical devices.
• Mentors a team of engineers and technicians in a cutting-edge R&D environment.
• Works with in-house machine shop to fabricate/modify components and assemble precision systems.
• Performs testing to validate design choices and ensure manufacturability.
• Directs environmental and mechanical qualification testing for military/space applications.

Skills

Mechanical design

SolidWorks

GD&T

FEM analysis

Ansys

Abaqus

Machining

High-precision fixtures

Testing

Education

B.S. or Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Ansys

Abaqus

MATLAB

Job description

Description

Optical Engines is looking for an experienced Mechanical Engineer to support the development of Directed Energy and NewSpace products at the Colorado Springs, CO facility. The Senior Mechanical Engineer will be primarily responsible for owning and driving the mechanical design of high power laser systems and optical devices, working closely with and mentoring a team of engineers and technicians on a variety of technical tasks in a cutting‑edge R&D environment. This is a full‑circle, hands‑on position that combines complex design skills, fabrication and modification of components in an in‑house machine shop, building precision mechanical assemblies, and performing critical testing to validate design choices. Candidate must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship.

Requirements

• Lead mechanical design efforts for the development of novel high power fiber laser systems and associated tooling to support manufacturing and testing
• Generate innovative hardware architectures to meet performance, environmental, reliability, and cost requirements
• Perform engineering analysis to guide designs of high precision opto‑mechanical assemblies, including thermal, fluid, and mechanical stress modeling
• Validate manufacturability of new designs by identifying critical manufacturing tolerances and viable process plans
• Specify and direct the environmental and mechanical qualification testing for military or space applications
• Work in an R&D team environment to meet the needs of the target application
• Manage procurement and logistics of high-value, sensitive parts and equipment
• Work with local and international vendors to achieve necessary design tolerances and finish requirements
• Occasional travel to customer sites to support integration of deployed laser systems
• Must be legally authorized to work in the United States without company sponsorship

Basic Qualifications

• B.S. or Advanced degree in Mechanical Engineering
• 5+ years of relevant industry experience
• Proficiency in SolidWorks and engineering drawing practices, including tolerance analysis and GD&T
• Experience using FEA modeling software (Ansys, Abaqus, MATLAB, etc.)
• Machining experience with demonstrated ability to make high‑precision optomechanical fixtures from scratch
• Successful track record of high‑precision product and tooling development
• Demonstrated history identifying, analyzing, and solving complex engineering problems
• Strong theoretical and experimental understanding of material properties, mechanics, heat transfer, and thermodynamics
• Detail‑oriented and accountable with a need for continuous improvement
• Ability to learn new technologies and be adaptable to support a wide variety of laser systems and projects
• Ability to work well within a multidisciplinary team yet function independently
• Experience with precision measurement equipment (calipers, micrometers, etc. ) and ability to perform QC on incoming parts

Desired Skills

• At least 10 years of relevant industry experience
• Hands‑on skills with multidisciplinary knowledge of optics, mechanics, and electronics
• 3D printing experience to assist in prototyping, fit checking, and fixturing
• Basic understanding of the physics behind optics, lasers, optical fiber, etc.
• Familiarity with fiber laser architecture and fiber laser mechanical design constraints
• Understanding of the design constraints of Space environments
• Experience working in an R&D environment on Directed Energy and NewSpace programs
• Familiarity with manufacturing methods for low to high volume applications and NPI
• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to analyze data and report findings (Excel, PowerPoint)
• Experience performing environmental and mechanical qualification testing for military or space applications

Benefits

• 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year
• 9 paid Holidays per yearHealth, Vision and Dental Care paid 100% by employer
• 401k with company matching
• Tuition Assistance for Continuing Education

About OEI

Optical Engines is an engineering firm specializing in photonic devices for the commercial, industrial, space, and defense sectors, located right in Old Colorado City in Colorado Springs, CO, just a few minutes from Garden of the Gods and Red Rock Canyon Open Space. In 2005, Optical Engines was founded with a vision to become the destination for ambitious engineers to see how far they could push fiber and photonic technologies. Since then, we have continued to grow and work tirelessly to demonstrate what we can do for our customers. We are a solution‑focused company in an industry with no limit on the potential or impact. That provides us with the unique opportunity to both set the standards and then surpass them. Most of all, it allows us to connect with people who are as passionate as we are.