Senior Opto Mechanical Engineer

Matter Intelligence • El Segundo, CA

2d • Onsite

About The Position

About Matter Intelligence Welcome to Matter, where we are building the future of vision AI: pairing a world-first sensor that sees molecular chemistry, temperature, and 3D shape with a Large World Model that will be the most powerful intelligence engine for the physical world. This system doesn’t just see what something looks like; it understands everything from a single pixel. We call this Superintelligent Vision . Our team has delivered technologies to Mars for NASA/JPL, designed advanced sensors for U.S. defense, and built core infrastructure at OpenAI. We are now building the next generation of space- and airborne-based sensing systems. About the Role We are seeking a Senior Optomechanical Engineer to lead the design, analysis, integration, and qualification of high-performance optical payloads for space and airborne platforms. This role owns the optomechanical architecture and manufacturing readiness of Matter’s imaging systems from early concept through flight hardware. You will champion optomechanical design across multiple programs, ensuring optical performance is preserved through structural, thermal, and dynamic environments (STOP). You will work closely with optical engineering, systems engineering, thermal, structures, and manufacturing partners, and will be hands-on with flight and test hardware.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Physics, or a related discipline.
• 8–12+ years of experience in optomechanical design and development of precision optical systems.
• Demonstrated experience owning optomechanical designs from requirements through integration and test.
• Strong background in optical mounting, alignment, tolerancing, and metrology.
• Proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks, Creo, or equivalent), GD&T, and FEA.
• Hands-on experience with hardware integration, alignment, and environmental testing.
• Experience producing high-quality technical documentation.
• Strong communication skills and ability to lead cross-functional technical efforts.
• U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or eligible to obtain required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree in a relevant technical field.
• Experience with spaceflight or other high-reliability aerospace systems.
• Experience with EO/IR, hyperspectral, laser, or precision imaging payloads.
• Familiarity with Zemax or similar optical design tools.
• Experience with adhesives, bonding, and contamination-controlled assembly.
• Experience supporting NASA, DoD, SBIR, or commercial space programs.
• Comfort operating in fast-paced startup or rapid-development environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead the optomechanical design of precision optical assemblies, subsystems, and payloads for space-qualified remote-sensing systems.
• Define mechanical architectures for optical mounts, structures, mechanisms, and interfaces that preserve alignment and performance through launch and on-orbit conditions.
• Translate optical sensitivities and requirements into mechanical, thermal, and manufacturing requirements.
• Drive concept development, detailed design, and design maturity through all review gates.
• Own optomechanical performance across Structural, Thermal, and Optical Performance (STOP) domains.
• Perform and review tolerance analyses, GD&T, structural FEA, thermal and thermo-elastic analyses.
• Collaborate with optical engineers to support optical modeling and error budgets.
• Ensure designs meet stiffness, strength, thermal stability, and survivability requirements.
• Define alignment strategies, tooling, fixtures, and procedures for precision optical systems.
• Lead optomechanical integration, bonding, assembly, and alignment of flight and test hardware.
• Support optical metrology, calibration, and performance verification.
• Support environmental testing including vibration, shock, and thermal-vacuum; drive anomaly resolution and root-cause analysis.
• Design for manufacturability, assembly, and test (DFM/DFA) while maintaining optical performance.
• Manage part and assembly design, vendor fabrication, and inspection requirements.
• Produce and maintain detailed CAD models, drawings, BOMs, and assembly/test procedures.
• Support transition from prototype to low- and mid-rate production as needed.
• Serve as the optomechanical technical lead for payload hardware.
• Lead technical reviews and present designs to internal and external stakeholders.
• Identify technical risks early and drive mitigation strategies.
• Mentor junior engineers and help establish best practices in optomechanical design and integration.
• Partner with program management to balance performance, schedule, and cost.

Benefits

• 100% employer-paid health, dental, and vision coverage.
• Competitive total package based on experience.
• Early-stage equity package.
• Opportunities to expand into leadership, strategic accounts, or cross-functional roles as we scale.

What This Job Offers

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