Blue Origin
Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Join our team of problem solvers as part of the In‑Space Systems business unit, focusing on space infrastructure and increasing mobility on‑orbit. The role leads mechanical design for the optical heart of a communications terminal, responsible for a telescope and precision pointing system that must maintain wavefront quality and angular stability in the harsh environment of space. You own the physical system from concept through final assembly and validation.
Application Close Date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.
Mission You will design and build precision opto‑mechanical systems at the core of a next‑generation optical communications terminal. Your work will involve making critical design trades, managing key suppliers, and closing tolerance budgets to ensure the system achieves its unprecedented performance goals.
Special Mentions
Relocation assistance is available for this position
Travel expectations: 10‑15% travel may be required for vendor visits, design reviews, and test campaigns
Responsibilities Opto‑Mechanical Design Leadership
Lead the mechanical design of the telescope structure, incorporating precision alignment features, kinematic mounts, and athermal design principles.
Develop and close comprehensive tolerance budgets for WFE and alignment stability, informed by STOP analysis in collaboration with the optical design team.
Engineer robust solutions for straylight and ghost suppression, including baffle design, scatter control strategies, and optical coating specifications.
Author and manage contamination control plans and cleanliness procedures.
Ensure designs are optimized for manufacturability, assembly, and alignment (DFMA), defining all necessary tooling and ground support equipment (GSE).
Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers.
Materials & Vendor Management
Lead the development path and trade studies for mirror materials, evaluating CTE stability, specific stiffness, polishability, surface finish, and thermal performance.
Draft Statements of Work for vendors, defining technical requirements and acceptance test criteria for optical components.
Manage vendor relationships, conduct design reviews, and analyze manufacturing and test data to ensure compliance.
Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers in the optical manufacturing industry.
Structural‑Thermal Integration
Collaborate closely with the STOP analyst to define stiffness targets that mitigate jitter and gravity release effects.
Integrate thermal control hardware and cable management solutions compatible with precision gimbal motion.
Perform hand calculations and preliminary FEA to validate design concepts.
Lead cross‑functional technical reviews to ensure integrated system performance.
Verification & Assembly/Integration/Test (AI&T) Support
Plan and oversee environmental qualification tests, including thermal cycling, dimensional stability, and vibration testing.
Provide hands‑on support for optical alignment, system integration, and metrology activities in the lab.
Refine designs based on straylight test data and validate contamination control procedures during assembly.
Develop and document lessons learned to improve future designs.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field; 10+ years of relevant experience (MS/PhD preferred).
Demonstrated experience in designing telescopes or similar precision optical instruments for space or aerospace applications.
Proven expertise in straylight analysis, contamination control, baffle design, and coating selection for sensitive optical systems.
Hands‑on experience with advanced mirror materials, including their fabrication, polishing, and testing methods.
Experience integrating mechanical designs with structural, thermal, and optical performance analyses.
Proficiency in a major CAD package (e.g., PTC Creo, Siemens NX) for detailed mechanical design.
Experience leading technical teams and mentoring junior engineers.
Track record of successful delivery of complex opto‑mechanical systems for demanding applications.
Preferred Qualifications
Direct experience using STOP analysis to drive mechanical design decisions.
Proficiency in SigFit, ANSYS Thermal Desktop, and Zemax OpticStudio.
Experience with space environmental testing (thermal cycling, vibration, TVAC) and test‑model correlation.
Design or integration experience with precision pointing mechanisms or gimbals for space.
Knowledge of athermalization techniques for optical systems.
Experience developing and executing optical alignment procedures using interferometry and other metrology tools.
Previous experience with optical communications systems or laser‑based instruments.
Experience with systems engineering practices and requirements flow‑down.
Publication record or patents in relevant technical areas.
Compensation Range (US Locations)
CA: $140,959.00 – $197,342.25
CO: $129,611.00 – $181,454.70
WA: $140,959.00 – $197,342.25
Culture Statement We encourage candidates who are excited about this role even if they do not meet every single desired qualification. If your past experience does not align perfectly with all desired requirements, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Export Control Regulations Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Background Check
Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check.
Required for certain job profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check.
Required for certain job profiles: driver licensing and related safety checks for large commercial vehicles.
Required for certain job profiles: ability to obtain and maintain a Merchant Mariner Credential.
Benefits
Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long‑term disability, 401(k) with up to 5% company match, and education support program.
Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company‑paid holidays.
Employees may be eligible for bonuses based on the company's discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and may change.
Equal Employment Opportunity Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated workforce. We provide all qualified applicants with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment.
Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Do not include personally medical information.
California Applicant Privacy Notice California users should refer to the California Applicant Privacy Notice.
Seniority Level
Mid‑Senior level
Employment Type
Full‑time
Job Function
Engineering and Information Technology
Industry
Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
Referrals Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Blue Origin by 2x.
#J-18808-Ljbffr
Application Close Date:
Applications will be accepted on an ongoing basis until the requisition is closed.
Mission You will design and build precision opto‑mechanical systems at the core of a next‑generation optical communications terminal. Your work will involve making critical design trades, managing key suppliers, and closing tolerance budgets to ensure the system achieves its unprecedented performance goals.
Special Mentions
Relocation assistance is available for this position
Travel expectations: 10‑15% travel may be required for vendor visits, design reviews, and test campaigns
Responsibilities Opto‑Mechanical Design Leadership
Lead the mechanical design of the telescope structure, incorporating precision alignment features, kinematic mounts, and athermal design principles.
Develop and close comprehensive tolerance budgets for WFE and alignment stability, informed by STOP analysis in collaboration with the optical design team.
Engineer robust solutions for straylight and ghost suppression, including baffle design, scatter control strategies, and optical coating specifications.
Author and manage contamination control plans and cleanliness procedures.
Ensure designs are optimized for manufacturability, assembly, and alignment (DFMA), defining all necessary tooling and ground support equipment (GSE).
Provide technical mentorship to junior engineers.
Materials & Vendor Management
Lead the development path and trade studies for mirror materials, evaluating CTE stability, specific stiffness, polishability, surface finish, and thermal performance.
Draft Statements of Work for vendors, defining technical requirements and acceptance test criteria for optical components.
Manage vendor relationships, conduct design reviews, and analyze manufacturing and test data to ensure compliance.
Develop and maintain relationships with key suppliers in the optical manufacturing industry.
Structural‑Thermal Integration
Collaborate closely with the STOP analyst to define stiffness targets that mitigate jitter and gravity release effects.
Integrate thermal control hardware and cable management solutions compatible with precision gimbal motion.
Perform hand calculations and preliminary FEA to validate design concepts.
Lead cross‑functional technical reviews to ensure integrated system performance.
Verification & Assembly/Integration/Test (AI&T) Support
Plan and oversee environmental qualification tests, including thermal cycling, dimensional stability, and vibration testing.
Provide hands‑on support for optical alignment, system integration, and metrology activities in the lab.
Refine designs based on straylight test data and validate contamination control procedures during assembly.
Develop and document lessons learned to improve future designs.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field; 10+ years of relevant experience (MS/PhD preferred).
Demonstrated experience in designing telescopes or similar precision optical instruments for space or aerospace applications.
Proven expertise in straylight analysis, contamination control, baffle design, and coating selection for sensitive optical systems.
Hands‑on experience with advanced mirror materials, including their fabrication, polishing, and testing methods.
Experience integrating mechanical designs with structural, thermal, and optical performance analyses.
Proficiency in a major CAD package (e.g., PTC Creo, Siemens NX) for detailed mechanical design.
Experience leading technical teams and mentoring junior engineers.
Track record of successful delivery of complex opto‑mechanical systems for demanding applications.
Preferred Qualifications
Direct experience using STOP analysis to drive mechanical design decisions.
Proficiency in SigFit, ANSYS Thermal Desktop, and Zemax OpticStudio.
Experience with space environmental testing (thermal cycling, vibration, TVAC) and test‑model correlation.
Design or integration experience with precision pointing mechanisms or gimbals for space.
Knowledge of athermalization techniques for optical systems.
Experience developing and executing optical alignment procedures using interferometry and other metrology tools.
Previous experience with optical communications systems or laser‑based instruments.
Experience with systems engineering practices and requirements flow‑down.
Publication record or patents in relevant technical areas.
Compensation Range (US Locations)
CA: $140,959.00 – $197,342.25
CO: $129,611.00 – $181,454.70
WA: $140,959.00 – $197,342.25
Culture Statement We encourage candidates who are excited about this role even if they do not meet every single desired qualification. If your past experience does not align perfectly with all desired requirements, we encourage you to apply anyway. You may be just the right candidate for this or other roles.
Export Control Regulations Applicants must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident, or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum.
Background Check
Required for all positions: Blue’s Standard Background Check.
Required for certain job profiles: Defense Biometric Identification System (DBIDS) background check.
Required for certain job profiles: driver licensing and related safety checks for large commercial vehicles.
Required for certain job profiles: ability to obtain and maintain a Merchant Mariner Credential.
Benefits
Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, paid parental leave, short and long‑term disability, 401(k) with up to 5% company match, and education support program.
Paid Time Off: Up to four (4) weeks per year based on weekly scheduled hours, and up to 14 company‑paid holidays.
Employees may be eligible for bonuses based on the company's discretion. Bonus amounts and eligibility are not guaranteed and may change.
Equal Employment Opportunity Blue Origin is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified and dedicated workforce. We provide all qualified applicants with equal opportunities for hire, promotion, and other terms and conditions of employment.
Affirmative Action and Disability Accommodation If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, please contact EEOCompliance@blueorigin.com. Do not include personally medical information.
California Applicant Privacy Notice California users should refer to the California Applicant Privacy Notice.
Seniority Level
Mid‑Senior level
Employment Type
Full‑time
Job Function
Engineering and Information Technology
Industry
Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing
Referrals Referrals increase your chances of interviewing at Blue Origin by 2x.
#J-18808-Ljbffr