Opto-Mechanical Engineer

Planet • San Francisco, CA

35d • $144,500 - $180,600 • Onsite

About The Position

Planet is seeking an Opto-Mechanical Engineer for its Electro-Optical Systems team within the Space Systems division. The role supports the design and manufacture of optical payloads for Planet’s Earth-imaging satellites, with particular ownership of opto-mechanical design and manufacturing. The engineer will contribute to spacecraft design and work closely with optical engineering, structural analysis, thermal engineering, reliability and qualification, and spacecraft manufacturing teams.

This is a full-time, in-office position at Planet’s San Francisco headquarters, five days per week. The role involves owning opto-mechanical manufacturing processes and designing a production line for mid-volume optical payload manufacturing, while making data-driven decisions to improve assembly and test efficiency. The engineer will contribute hands-on across design, fabrication, integration, testing, qualification, and production, including work with flight and test hardware.

The position requires experience developing opto-mechanical products from requirements through design, testing, and manufacturing, particularly for high-reliability space environments. The engineer will help ensure payloads meet structural, thermal, strength, stiffness, launch-survivability, and on-orbit optical-performance requirements. Access to export-controlled information is required; employment is contingent on the candidate being able to access applicable information without additional export licensing.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field.
• At least 4 years of experience owning opto-mechanical product development from requirements through conceptual design, testing, and manufacturing.
• Experience designing for high-reliability space environments, including launch survivability, vacuum conditions, and on-orbit performance through thermal conditions (STOP).
• Experience designing and fabricating optical assemblies with components made from glass, carbon fiber, metals, ceramics, and epoxies, as well as mechanisms and electrical elements.
• Practical, direct hardware engagement from prototyping through production and testing.
• Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Experience working in a dynamic environment and driving projects to completion.
• Good verbal and visual communication skills.

Nice To Haves

• Expertise in optics or opto-mechanical manufacturing, metrology, alignment, and calibration.
• Ability to build out a manufacturing line for precision optical systems.
• Experience with dynamic hardware builds, vibration and shock testing, telescope assembly, and optical performance testing.
• Experience applying systems-engineering principles to optimize optical payload integration, including requirements management, trade-off analysis, and balancing cost, schedule, and performance constraints.
• Ability to drive manufacturers and apply DFM/DFA.
• Proficiency in SolidWorks, Zemax, Matlab, Visual Basic, Python, and/or C/C++.

Responsibilities

• Own the opto-mechanical manufacturing process for optical payloads on Planet’s next-generation satellites.
• Design a manufacturing line for mid-volume production of optical payloads, using first-principles and data-driven decisions to support efficient assembly and testing.
• Collaborate with structural, thermal-analysis, and optical-engineering teams on analyses that ensure payloads meet stiffness, strength, thermal, and launch-survivability requirements and maintain on-orbit performance through STOP (Structural, Thermal, Optical Performance).
• Drive part and assembly design; manage fabrication with key vendors; perform failure analysis; and execute tolerance-stackup and GD&T analyses to support precision and reliability.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive design documentation.
• Lead technical presentations and reviews across design-review gates.
• Support test planning and qualification test campaigns.
• Work hands-on with flight and test hardware.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans.
• Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution.
• Generous paid time off, in addition to holidays and company-wide days off.
• 16 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP).
• Home office reimbursement.
• Monthly phone and internet reimbursement.
• Tuition reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning.
• Equity.
• Commuter benefits for employees local to an office.
• Paid time off for volunteering.
• The role might be eligible for discretionary short-term and long-term incentives (bonus and equity).

What This Job Offers

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