AP112 Mechanical Engineering Technician

Support•Greenbelt, MD

3d•Onsite

About The Position

Future X-ray space telescopes will explore black holes, galaxy clusters, and the evolution of matter and energy. First, they need mirrors up to the challenge. NASA Goddard's Next Generation X-ray Optics (NGXO) technology uses thousands of mirror segments, each less than 1 mm thick, assembled with sub-micron precision. We're looking for a hands-on engineering student or recent graduate to join our multidisciplinary R&D team for six months and help turn ideas into working hardware.

Requirements

Current undergraduate student (co-op or semester away) or recent graduate in mechanical engineering or a related field.
Hands-on experience building and integrating mechanical or electromechanical systems.
Some programming experience in Python or MATLAB.
Familiarity with CAD (SolidWorks, AutoCAD, or similar) and reading engineering drawings.
Strong attention to detail, good documentation habits, and a research mindset.
Available to work full time on-site in Greenbelt, MD for six months.
US Citizenship or Permanent Residency (LPR) required, with US residency for the past 3 consecutive years.
Ability to obtain and maintain a Tier 1 Investigation through NASA.

Nice To Haves

Experience with control algorithms such as PID or state estimation.
Experience with CNC machining or G-code.
Experience with precision assemblies (bearings, shafts, motors) held to tight tolerances.
A record of designing and running experiments, from data acquisition through evaluation.

Responsibilities

Help design, fabricate, and assemble precision opto-mechanical components, fixtures, and tooling, working from engineering drawings and using 3D printing and tolerance analysis.
Build and test lab machinery: integrate motors, sensors, wiring, and controllers, then troubleshoot and qualify assemblies for smooth, aligned operation.
Contribute to automation and motion control for precise positioning of mirror segments and test equipment.
Write data acquisition, analysis, and simulation scripts in Python or MATLAB, run iterative tests, and evaluate results against tight requirements.
Measure mirror quality with precision metrology equipment such as ZYGO and 4D interferometers, and support X-ray testing at Goddard's 100-meter and 600-meter beamlines.
Keep careful records of procedures and data, and follow all NASA and Goddard safety and lab rules.