Star Catcher
Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Jacksonville, Florida, United States · Contract
Work authorization requiredDetected 2 days ago
PythonBudgetingProcurementMechanical DesignCommunicationProblem SolvingFiber Optics
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Cap-exempt (no lottery)0
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Entry-level history0
PERM / green-card track0
Lottery odds40
Fits your clock70
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About the role
- Spacecraft connect into the Star Catcher Network and receive conditioned energy via their existing solar arrays, requiring no retrofit to utilize the first true space-based infrastructure.
- The Star Catcher Network provides power as needed from tens of Watts to tens of thousands of Watts at concentrations from fractions of a Sun of flux to ten Suns of flux.
- Join our team of experienced and passionate space innovators driven to transform and expand humanity's utilization of space.
Responsibilities
- Designing and developing opto-mechanical systems, including optical components, mechanical structures, and alignment mechanisms.
- Collaborating with engineering teams to integrate opto-mechanical systems into spacecraft and satellite platforms and serving as a bridge between the mechanical and optical engineering teams during system design efforts.
- Developing and executing test and validation plans for opto-mechanical systems, and performing performance and reliability testing to validate system functionality and compliance with specifications.
- Preparing and maintaining detailed documentation, including design specifications, test reports, and technical manuals.
- Star Catcher is powering the future of space by building the world's first orbital energy grid: the Star Catcher Network.
- Star Catcher, located in Jacksonville, FL, has an opportunity for an Opto-Mechanical Engineer to support the development of space-to-space power beaming spacecraft and the Star Catcher Network, its orbital power grid.
- Responsible for design, analysis, and integration of opto-mechanical systems and components used spacecraft, satellites, and other space-related technologies.
Requirements
- At least five years of experience designing, analyzing and building opto-mechanical systems in an aerospace manufacturing environment or other relevant industry experience.
- Strong understanding of the unique requirements and challenges associated with opto-mechanical systems for space missions.
- Minimum 2 years Zemax lens design (CodeV ok), basic experience with stray light analysis (FRED, LightTools, Zemax non-sequential, or similar), and basic CAD expertise.
- Ability to teach/instruct other optical and mechanical engineers and technicians to execute basic opto-mechanical tasks in a rapidly evolving, time-sensitive technology development environment.
- Effective communication skills with the ability to interface with the team and organization and prioritize tasks, projects, and personnel from a variety of disciplines.
- All offers of employment at Star Catcher are contingent upon results of a thorough background check and your ability to provide proof of eligibility to work in the US.
- Fiber optics skills including cleaving, splicing, combining, core-alignment, connector termination, high density fiber routing, reflection/attenuation management, fiber inspection, loss budgeting/link engineering.
- Experience building vendor relationships and managing custom optical component procurement and logistics.
- Basic testing and metrology skills such as interferometry and the use of autocollimators.
- Basic understanding of optical surface fabrication/polishing techniques and associated errors and aberrations.
- Applied understanding of basic Seidel, Zernike, and chromatic aberrations.
- Creative problem-solving skills, with the capability to develop innovative solutions to advanced engineering challenges.
- Desired skills:
- Expertise in advanced opto-mechanical systems design, test, and integration techniques including but not limited to STOP analysis, optical metrology, high-power thermal damage testing (CW LIDT testing), and system tolerancing.
Nice to have
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Optical Engineering, or a related field or a related field, Master's or PhD preferred.
Skills
- Experience with white light engineering systems, non-imaging systems, lightpipes/waveguides, diffractive and/or solar optics.
- Familiarity with space industry regulations, safety standards relevant to space missions and operations.
Benefits
- We seek individuals who share our passion for enabling people to do more in space and are not afraid to get their hands dirty to make our vision of the future reality.
Visa & Work Authorization
- citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U
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This listing is sourced directly from Star Catcher's careers page and normalized into a canonical job model.