Senior Opto-Mechanical Engineer (Aerospace)

Location: Long Beach, California, United States

Salary: $142,000–$214,000 USD per year

Company

hirify.global develops rockets and space systems, including the Terran R launch vehicle and scientific exploration capabilities for missions across the solar system.

What you will do

• Design structures, mounts, and mechanisms for advanced optical systems used in deep-space missions.
• Preserve optical alignment through thermal variation, launch vibration, and on-orbit gravity release.
• Develop precision opto-mechanical assemblies using CAD modeling.
• Use FEA to evaluate gravity sag, thermal distortion, and vibration response.
• Collaborate with optics, optical communications, and mechanical engineers on optical prescriptions, pointing, isolation, structural, and thermal requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in opto-mechanical design for precision optical systems or similar applications.
• Strong understanding of opto-mechanical design principles.
• Proficiency in CAD modeling for optical or precision mechanical assemblies.
• Experience using FEA to assess opto-mechanical structures under gravity, thermal, and vibration loads.

Nice to have

• Knowledge of thermal effects on optical alignment, including CTE mismatch and thermally induced distortion.
• Experience with space opto-mechanical hardware or space environments.
• Familiarity with contamination-sensitive hardware, optical coatings, and optics-compatible adhesives.
• Knowledge of aluminum alloys, stainless steel fasteners, and materials used in opto-mechanical design.

Culture & Benefits

• Competitive salary and equity compensation.
• Generous paid time off and sick leave.
• Parental leave.
• Annual learning and development stipend.
• Work focused on developing rockets, factories, and space science capabilities from the ground up.