Sr. Mechanical Engineer, US

Mesa Quantum Systems•Boulder, CO

12d•$140,000 - $195,000

About The Position

Mesa Quantum is seeking a hands-on Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the mechanical and thermal design of its chip-scale atomic clock, from the physics package and electronics integration through enclosure and production. The role focuses on reducing size, weight, power, and cost while ensuring stability and reliability under demanding environmental conditions. The engineer will model, build, and test prototypes and work with cross-functional teams and manufacturing partners to transition designs into production. The position is based in Boulder, Colorado. Applicants must be U.S. persons (U.S. citizens or lawful permanent residents) due to U.S. Department of Defense funding requirements. The ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance may be required for certain projects. Base salary is $140,000 to $195,000, depending on experience and qualifications. The company also offers meaningful equity and a comprehensive benefits package.

Requirements

Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering with at least 8 years of relevant experience, or a master's degree or Ph.D. with at least 5 years of relevant experience.
Advanced SolidWorks or Creo skills, including production drawings and GD&T.
Experience with thermal and structural FEA using tools such as ANSYS, COMSOL, or SolidWorks Simulation, validated against test data.
Hands-on experience with thermal management, precision hardware, and ruggedization for shock and vibration.
Experience designing small hardware from prototype through production, including vacuum or hermetic packaging and leak testing.
Ability to build and test prototypes, document designs clearly, and work directly with machine shops, vendors, and contract manufacturers.
Must be a U.S. person (U.S. citizen or lawful permanent resident).
Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. security clearance may be required for certain projects.

Nice To Haves

Experience with atomic clocks, quantum sensors, magnetometers, or atomic interferometers.
Rugged electronics for defense, aerospace, or space applications, including environmental qualification.
Low-power thermal design, vacuum insulation, or low-emissivity coatings.
MEMS or microelectronics packaging, magnetic shielding, laser or photonics packaging, and optical alignment.
Experience with electronics cooling tools, ECAD/MCAD collaboration, PLM systems, or early-stage hardware companies.

Responsibilities

Own system-level mechanical architecture, CAD design, drawings, prototypes, and production release.
Manage mass, volume, and power budgets; conduct trade studies to reduce SWaP-C without compromising clock stability.
Develop thermal designs and models for the vapor cell, laser, and electronics, and correlate predictions with test data.
Design for shock, vibration, and thermal cycling; plan and execute environmental tests and implement improvements.
Develop vacuum or hermetic packaging, magnetic shielding, and precision alignment for optics and other sensitive components.
Drive design for manufacturing and assembly, supplier collaboration, assembly documentation, and production readiness.
Collaborate with physics, photonics, electrical, firmware, and manufacturing teams on current and next-generation clock designs.