Instrument Engineer

Interlune • Houston, WA

6d • Hybrid

About The Position

Interlune is a space infrastructure and natural resources company based in Seattle, WA, focused on building the industrial backbone of the space economy. They are seeking a proactive individual to join their early-stage team and contribute to an off-world future. The technical team possesses expertise in planetary sciences, electrical engineering, automation, systems engineering, modeling and simulation, and advanced fabrication. The ideal candidate will be agile, eager to learn, and capable of taking on multiple roles. As an Instrument Engineer, you will be part of the engineering team, collaborating with engineers and scientists to develop advanced instruments for space applications. Your work will involve the design, prototyping, testing, and integration of sensors and payload instrumentation intended for reliable operation in a space environment, including the lunar surface. This full-time position is available at their headquarters in Seattle, WA, or their Interlune Research Lab in Houston, TX. Applicants from all industries are welcome, with a particular emphasis on complex, multi-disciplinary system development. Experience in aerospace, oil and gas, construction, or mining is valuable but not required.

Requirements

• B.S. or equivalent in Planetary Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Relevant experience in scientific instrumentation, including university projects, capstone designs, and/or internships.
• Proficiency in programming or scripting languages (e.g., Python or MATLAB) for data collection and analysis.
• Collaborative, cross-disciplinary mindset with the ability to balance science objectives against engineering constraints.
• Strong first principles knowledge of physics and engineering fundamentals.
• Must be a U.S. citizen or national, U.S. permanent resident (i.e. current Green Card holder), or lawfully admitted into the U.S. as a refugee or granted asylum to conform to U.S. Government export regulations.

Nice To Haves

• M.S. in Planetary Science, Aerospace Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Physics, or a related technical discipline.
• Experience in scientific instrument development, test, and/or integration, preferably for use in an extreme environment.
• Exposure to high-vacuum testing and/or thermal environmental chambers.
• Familiarity with optical systems and camera calibration tools.
• Experience building and validating physics-based models.
• Expertise in handling and preparation of geologic samples.
• Systems engineering experience including architecture definition, requirements derivation, and/or test planning and execution.
• Detailed experience in any engineering discipline, including but not limited to PCB design, embedded systems, structural analysis, thermal analysis, and/or design and fabrication of machined parts.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with multidisciplinary engineering and science teams to design, prototype, and test scientific and operational instruments for space applications.
• Participate in hands-on assembly, calibration, and testing of instrumentation hardware in laboratory environments.
• Support Interlune’s science team in determining achievable measurement objectives and mission planning.
• Develop software (e.g., using Python, MATLAB, etc) for data acquisition, sensor interfacing, and automated test routines.
• Support troubleshooting, failure analysis, and design verification of prototype instruments and sub-assemblies.
• Document technical designs, test plans, and results, actively participating in team design reviews.
• Demonstrate strong, proactive written and verbal communication with all levels of the organization, including peers, leadership, and external stakeholders.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, basic and supplemental life insurance, short and long-term disability, and other benefits
• Flexible PTO policy with paid company holidays.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level