Planet · 8 hours ago
Senior Optical Manufacturing Engineer
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$144K/yr - $181K/yr
6+ years expPlanet is a company that designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. The Senior Optical Manufacturing Engineer will lead the transition of optical telescope designs into high-yield production, collaborating with various engineering teams to establish manufacturing processes and work instructions.
AerospaceAnalyticsBig DataGeospatialRemote SensingSoftware
Responsibilities
Support the Assembly, Integration, and Test of optical telescope payloads
Develop/document optical telescope assembly procedures and work instructions including precise metrology, warm and cold alignment, and performance testing of telescopes and imaging systems
Design, develop, and implement mechanical and electrical tooling, fixtures, and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) for optical telescope assembly and test in a cleanroom
Perform analysis of measured data for alignment, calibration, and characterization of imaging systems, and monitor production metrics
Drive timely resolution of non-conformances (NCRs), identify root causes, and implement corrective actions and continuous improvement processes
Provide critical Design for Manufacturability (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) feedback to the optical and mechanical design teams
Provide technical oversight for external vendors and suppliers involved in optical component manufacturing and assembly
Participate in the training of optical production technicians to transition the manufacturing line from R&D to production
Recommend facilities and capital equipment improvements to scale manufacturing processes
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related technical field
6+ years of total relevant experience, of which 3+ years directly in the assembly, integration, alignment, and test of complex optical instruments, telescopes, or space-based imaging payloads
Hands-on experience with complex optomechanical assembly, alignment, integration, and bonding in a cleanroom environment
Experience leveraging technical software for design and analysis (e.g., Zemax, MATLAB, Python, and/or C/C++)
Expertise in reading technical drawings and using SolidWorks or equivalent CAD software to develop tooling and fixtures
Experience defining and implementing manufacturing processes in a production environment, including New Product Introduction (NPI)
Solid interpersonal skills and a collaborative, hands-on attitude for effectively working with cross-functional teams
Excellent attention to detail and technical writing skills for creating detailed and accurate procedures, test plans, and data summaries
Preferred
Experience with visible, multispectral, or hyperspectral imaging systems
Experience implementing successful continuous improvement methodologies
Familiarity with Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) software
Experience across the space flight program lifecycle (design through flight operations)
Additional education or certifications in a relevant engineering or scientific field
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 (if local to an office)
Volunteering Paid Time Off
Company
Planet
Planet is an aerospace and data analytics company that builds small satellites and delivers information about the changing planet.
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Planet has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2022 (5)
2021 (12)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1.03BKey Investors
BlackRockBloombergNEFPrelude Ventures
2025-09-09Post Ipo Debt· $460M
2021-12-08Post Ipo Equity· $200M
2021-12-08IPO
Leadership Team
Will Marshall
Co-Founder & CEO
Robbie Schingler
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
Recent News
2025-12-12
2025-12-11
Company data provided by crunchbase