Opto-Mechanical Engineer
Planet
Location
San Francisco
Type
Full-time
Posted
Dec 19, 2025
Compensation
USD 128400 – 160500
Mission
What you will drive
- 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, making data-driven decisions to ensure efficient assembly and test processes
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive analyses ensuring payloads meet stiffness, strength, thermal, and launch survivability requirements
- Drive part and assembly design, manage fabrication with key vendors, perform failure analysis, and execute tolerance stackup and GD&T analyses
Impact
The difference you'll make
This role contributes to Planet's mission of using space to help life on Earth by designing and manufacturing optical payloads for Earth-imaging satellites that deliver unprecedented data to commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors to solve the world's toughest obstacles.
Profile
What makes you a great fit
- 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, and 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, mechanisms, and electrical elements
Benefits
What's in it for you
- Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
- Health Savings Account (HSA) with company contribution
- Generous Paid Time Off plus 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
- Salary range: $128,400 - $160,500 USD
About
Inside Planet
Planet designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history, delivering an unprecedented dataset of empirical information via a cloud-based platform to authoritative figures in commercial, environmental, and humanitarian sectors to help solve the world's toughest obstacles.