Space Optomechanical Engineer: Precision Payloads & Alignment

The Judge Group; Denver (CO); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Equity package

Job summary

The Judge Group is seeking an experienced Optomechanical Engineer in Denver, CO to lead design, analysis, integration, and test of mechanical structures ensuring precise alignment of optical components in space environments. You will bridge optics and mechanics to deliver rugged telescope payloads for Earth observation and space surveillance.

Required is a BS or higher in engineering, 5+ years of mechanical design, and the ability to obtain a U.S. Top Secret clearance.

Qualifications

• BS or higher in engineering or hard science.
• Ability to obtain and hold U.S. Top Secret clearance.
• 5+ years of mechanical design experience.
• Experience with exotic opto-mechanical materials (composites, titanium, beryllium, Invar, Zerodur).
• Experience with tolerance stack-ups and mechanical alignments.
• CAD proficiency and ability to create GD&T drawings.
• Hands-on fabrication and assembly skills.
• Strong fundamentals in optics, heat transfer, statics, solid mechanics, and materials.
• Excellent attention to detail and autonomous work style.
• Organized with ability to define scope for ambiguous problems.
• Experience with high-reliability design, athermalization, and vibration/shock resistance.

Responsibilities

• Create opto-mechanical designs of space payloads ranging from small cameras to large telescopes.
• Act as Responsible Engineer: analyses, vendor visits, test plans, and subsystem interfaces.
• Run finite element models and hand calculations to predict stresses in mechanical and optical components.
• Contribute to STOP analyses to evaluate structural and thermal effects on optical performance.
• Conduct hand calculations and thermal analyses to evaluate on-orbit temperatures and solar loading effects.
• Design alignment features and tolerance stack-ups enabling sub-arcsecond payload pointing.
• Own hardware design from concept to launch, pacing design maturity with program needs.
• Use first principles for decisions and simplify designs.
• Communicate pros/cons of architectures with respect to mechanical design and packaging.
• Lead subsystem design reviews and provide status updates on timelines and progress.
• Build prototypes, analyze failures, and transition designs to flight hardware.
• Create technical documentation (drawings, specs, test plans).
• Mentor junior engineers.

Skills

Mechanical design

Opto-mechanical design

CAD proficiency

Tolerance stack-ups

Stat/solid mechanics

Heat transfer

Materials knowledge

Autonomous

Attention to detail

Python

MATLAB

C++

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or hard science

Tools

NX/Teamcenter

Job description

The Judge Group is seeking an experienced Optomechanical Engineer in Denver, CO to lead design, analysis, integration, and test of mechanical structures ensuring precise alignment of optical components in space environments. You will bridge optics and mechanics to deliver rugged telescope payloads for Earth observation and space surveillance.

Required is a BS or higher in engineering, 5+ years of mechanical design, and the ability to obtain a U.S. Top Secret clearance.