Opto-Mechanical Engineer; Principal

Albuquerque, United States | Posted on 08/04/2026

Mantis Space is a venture-backed aerospace company pioneering breakthrough technologies to build the first energy infrastructure inspace. Headquartered in New Mexico—the cornerstone of U.S. defenseR&D and a growing hub of the nation’s Space Valley,we are building from the ground up to accelerate the next generation of satellite and orbital energy infrastructure.

Our veteran-led team brings decades of leadership across space,defense, and advanced R&D, with experience at Google, Meta,Aero Vironment/Blue Halo, Terran Orbital, NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, the Space Telescope Science Institute, and Apple. Withdeep expertise in optics, photonics, and space systems, we are designing and delivering the infrastructure that will power the futureof orbital energy and advanced aerospace operations.

• Build from the ground up:
  Directly shape our Albuquerque laband R&D test environment.
• Make an impact:
  Your systems will enable critical research inoptics, lasers, and energy systems for space.
• Grow with us:
  Work alongside leading engineers, operators, andinvestors in a mission-driven environment.
• Competitive pay, full benefits, and equity in a company shaping the future of energy and space.

Mantis Space is seeking a Principal Opto-Mechanical Engineer to join our Mechanical Engineering team. Reporting to the Director of Mechanical Engineering, this is a highly technical, hands‑on role focused on solving complex design, analysis, testing, reliability, and manufacturing challenges for advanced space systems.

As a technical subject matter expert, you will bring deep experience designing, analyzing, building, and testing spacecraft optical payloads and precision opto-mechanical systems. You will work closely with mechanical, optical, systems, controls, and manufacturing engineers to develop high-performance hardware capable of operating in demanding space environments.

This role is ideal for an experienced engineer who enjoys working at the intersection of precision mechanical design, structural analysis, optical performance, controls, and spacecraft hardware development and who wants to have a significant technical impact on the next generation of space systems.

Serve as a technical subject matter expert in structural analysis and precision opto-mechanical systems.

Perform cross-functional structural and dynamic analysis in collaboration with controls, optical, and systems engineering teams.

Design and develop precision mechanical components and assemblies, including pointing, tracking, and stabilization mechanisms.

Develop detailed CAD models and production-ready mechanical designs using Solid Works or similar tools.

Perform FEA and multiphysics analysis to validate designs against launch, vibration, thermal, and operational environments.

Analyze and optimize line-of-sight (LOS) stability and structural performance across the spacecraft operating environment.

Conduct rapid FEA and quantitative design trades to support architecture and mechanism decisions.

Export structural transfer functions and other analysis results to support controls-system development.

Identify opportunities to improve system performance, reduce mass and cost, increase reliability, and improve manufacturability.

Support the selection and integration of actuators, sensors, bearings, structural materials, launch locks, and passive vibration isolation systems.

Develop and maintain engineering documentation, including drawings, GD&T, BOMs, tolerance budgets, mass budgets, and first article inspection requirements.

Collaborate with optical, systems, controls, electrical, manufacturing, and test engineers to ensure mechanical designs meet system-level requirements.

Support hardware development through design reviews, prototyping, assembly, integration, environmental testing, and qualification.

Contribute to mechanical engineering standards, design practices, analysis methodologies, and technical best practices.

Mentor engineers and contribute to the technical development of the broader mechanical engineering team.

Support hiring, onboarding, and development of mechanical…