Spacecraft Opto-Mechancial Manufacturing Engineer

The role

This person will develop, implement, and scale manufacturing processes for precision opto-mechanical spacecraft assemblies. They will bridge design engineering and production to take hardware from initial development through qualification and repeatable manufacturing.

What you will do

• Develop and implement manufacturing and assembly processes for precision opto-mechanical spacecraft hardware.
• Own hardware builds from initial prototypes through production qualification and manufacturing ramp.
• Design and develop assembly fixtures, alignment tooling, and test equipment.
• Establish optical alignment, calibration, inspection, and verification procedures.
• Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, assembly efficiency, and hardware reliability.
• Develop detailed work instructions, manufacturing procedures, and inspection criteria.
• Troubleshoot mechanical, optical, and electromechanical assembly issues.
• Perform tolerance analysis and evaluate critical alignment, fit, and interface requirements.
• Support environmental and functional testing, including vibration, thermal cycling, and optical performance verification.
• Drive continuous improvements in manufacturing yield, assembly repeatability, quality, and throughput.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related technical field.
• 3+ years of experience in precision mechanical assembly, opto-mechanical integration, manufacturing engineering, or hardware development.
• Experience developing assembly processes, tooling, and fixtures for complex hardware.
• Proficiency with 3D CAD software such as NX, SolidWorks, or Creo.
• Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stack-ups, and precision measurement techniques.
• Experience troubleshooting hardware and supporting hands-on assembly, integration, and testing.

Nice to have

• Experience with spacecraft optical payloads, sensors, cameras, laser systems, or precision optical instruments.
• Knowledge of optical alignment techniques, metrology equipment, and calibration processes.
• Experience with cleanroom assembly and contamination-sensitive hardware.
• Familiarity with adhesives, bonding processes, precision fasteners, and thermal-mechanical interfaces.
• Experience transitioning complex hardware from development into production.
• Familiarity with environmental qualification testing for aerospace hardware.

Benefits

• Equity in Apex
• 100% company-paid medical, dental, and vision for you and your dependents
• $100k life insurance at no cost
• Starting at 15 days vacation, growing to 20+ days annually
• 10 paid holidays
• 100% match on first 3% and 50% on next 2% 401(k) matching
• 8 weeks paid parental leave
• Childcare reimbursement up to $350/day for work-related travel
• Daily catered lunch and unlimited snacks
• Monthly office socials, pickleball tournaments, run club, and gatherings
• Dream desk setup

Before you apply

• Must qualify as a U.S. Person (U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, refugee, or individual granted asylum) or be able to obtain required export authorizations.

About the company

Apex manufactures satellite buses at scale using software, vertical integration, and hardware designed for manufacturing. They are a fast-growing startup that has raised more than $500M in funding.