Planet · 4 days ago
Opto-Mechanical Engineer
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Mid, Senior Level
$128K/yr - $160K/yr
4+ years expPlanet is a global company that designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. The Opto-Mechanical Engineer will drive the design of payloads for Earth-imaging satellites, focusing on opto-mechanical design and manufacturing, collaborating with various engineering teams to ensure optimal performance and reliability.
AerospaceAnalyticsBig DataGeospatialRemote SensingSoftware
Responsibilities
Own the opto-mechanical manufacturing process of optical payloads on Planet’s next-generation satellites
Design the manufacturing line for mid-volume production of optical payloads. Make first principle based, data-driven decisions throughout the design process to ensure efficient assembly and test processes
Collaborate with cross-functional teams such as structural, thermal analysts and optical engineer groups to drive and perform analyses to ensure payloads meet stiffness, strength, thermal, and launch survivability requirements, as well as 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 ensure precision and reliability
Develop and maintain comprehensive design documentation
Lead technical presentations and reviews across all design review gates
Support test planning and qualification test campaigns
Be hands-on with flight and test hardware
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related technical field
4+ years experience owning the development of opto-mechanical products from requirements through conceptual design, testing and manufacturing
Experience designing for high-reliability space environments including launch survivability, vacuum conditions, on-orbit performance through thermal conditions (STOP)
Experience in the design and fabrication of optical assemblies, incorporating components made from glass, carbon fiber, metals, ceramics, epoxies, as well as mechanisms and electrical elements
Practical and direct engagement with hardware, from prototyping to production and testing phases
Excellent analytical and problem-solving skills
Experience working in a dynamic environment while driving projects to completion
Good verbal and visual communication skills
Preferred
Expertise in optics / opto-mechanical manufacturing, metrology, alignment and calibration
Ability to build out the 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, focusing on requirements management, trade-off analysis, and balancing system-level constraints such as cost, schedule, and performance
Ability to drive manufacturers and DFM/DFA
Proficiency in SolidWorks, Zemax, Matlab, Visual Basic, Python and/or C/C++
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
2026-01-13
Morningstar.com
2026-01-12
Company data provided by crunchbase