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Optomechanical Engineer

Broomfield, CO

Location: This role will be onsite in our Broomfield, Colorado office. 
Travel: Up to 5%
Job ID:  554

 

About Skyloom 

Skyloom, an IonQ company, is a telecommunications company founded with the mission to develop, deploy, and operate one of the fundamental pieces of tomorrow's space communication infrastructure to provide data transport services on a planetary scale. If you have a strong sense of purpose, focus, urgency, and willingness to compete, or if working on space lasers excites you, join our team to develop the future generation of space communication technology.

 

What Makes Skyloom Unique?    

Skyloom is building the orbital infrastructure for the next renaissance in global connectivity. As Earth’s first space-based telecommunications company, we deliver fiberless, planetary-scale data transport that dramatically increases bandwidth, availability, and resiliency—while reducing latency and total cost of operations.

Our proprietary optical technology enables secure, ultra-high-capacity connections across our end-to-end, multi-orbit network or within your own infrastructure, unlocking a new standard for global communications.

 

The Role

The Optomechanical Engineer will be responsible for designing, analyzing, and optimizing optical systems for space-based communication technologies. This role requires hands-on experience with optical design software, a strong background in optics, and the ability to collaborate across disciplines to deliver optical designs that are both innovative and capable of cost-effective mass production.

 

Responsibilities 

  • Lead the full lifecycle of optomechanical systems, including conceptualization, detailed design, analysis, and prototyping. Focus areas include optical mounts, alignment mechanisms, and structural designs that ensure optical stability under space conditions (thermal, vibrational, and mechanical stress), as well as laboratory environment conditions.
  • Use mechanical design software to develop and analyze high-precision mechanical structures and kinematic mounts for optical elements such as lenses, mirrors, beam splitters, waveplates, and laser systems.
  • Conduct in-depth analysis using optical design software to optimize system performance, focusing on aspects such as manufacturing and alignment tolerances, spot size and wavefront error.
  • Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, software and control engineering teams to ensure seamless integration of optical subsystems into spacecraft or ground-based platforms.
  • Develop and implement optomechanical design and analysis strategies to ensure stability and accuracy performance against thermal expansion, vibration, and stress responses. Conduct Structural-Thermal-Optical Performance analysis to validate design requirements.
  • Develop assembly procedures for optomechanical systems and oversee their implementation. Participate in testing in simulated space environments, including vibration, thermal, and alignment verification.
  • Create detailed design documentation, including test procedures and assembly guidelines. Share expertise and mentor other team members engineers and cross-functional peers in both mechanical and optical design.
  • Work with both internal and external stakeholders to refine system specifications, present results, and ensure successful delivery of optical systems within project timelines.
  • Comply with federal, state, and company policies, procedures, and regulations.

 

Qualifications

  • Bachelor’s degree or higher in Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Telecommunications Engineering, Physics, or a related technical field.
  • Proven experience designing and analyzing optomechanical systems, particularly for space-based or high-precision optical instruments.
  • Extensive experience with optical design software (e.g., ZEMAX) and mechanical design tools (e.g., SolidWorks, Siemens NX).
  • To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, candidate must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.

 

Preferred Qualifications

  • Experience with optical design in the context of space-flight systems or astronomy is highly desirable.
  • Experience working in a cleanroom environment (ISO 5 to ISO 8).
  • Spanish speaking is a plus.

 

Compensation 

The approximate base salary range for this position is $115,000 - $130,000. The total compensation package includes base, bonus, equity, and a range of benefit options found on our career site.   

Compensation will vary based on individual factors such as education, qualifications and experience of the final candidate(s), specific office location and calibration against relevant market data and internal team equity.  Posted base salary figures are subject to change as new market data becomes available. 

  

Benefits/Perks 

  • In addition to an opportunity to take part in an innovative, collaborative and fast-growing business with a highly motivated and skilled team, we also take pride in taking care of our employees. Here are just a few ways that we show our appreciation:
    • We provide extensive medical coverage, including strong vision and dental plans, flexible spending accounts, and additional supplemental health options.
    • Paid Time Off Policy
    • 401(k) Plan 
    • Mental Health Resources
    • Furry friends? We’ve got you covered with with pet insurance options 
    • Legal insurance options also available

 

Equal Opportunity Statement 

At IonQ, we believe in fair treatment, access, opportunity, and advancement for all, and we strive to identify and eliminate barriers. We empower employees to thrive by fostering a culture of autonomy, productivity, and respect. We are dedicated to creating an environment where individuals can feel welcomed, respected, supported, and valued.  
  
We are committed to equity and justice. We welcome different voices and viewpoints and do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, ancestry, physical and/or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, age, sexual orientation, military or veteran status, or any other basis protected by law. We are proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. 

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