Description Who We Are At nLIGHT, we are constantly on the cutting-edge of laser technology in a massively growing market. We are

a leading provider of high-power semiconductors and fiber lasers for industrial, microfabrication, and aerospace & defense

applications, to name a few. Our lasers are changing not only the way things are made, but also changing the things that can be

made. Headquartered in Camas, Washington, nLIGHT is a publicly listed company (NASDAQ: LASR). Position Summary nLIGHT is seeking a

Principal Mechanical Engineer to provide technical leadership in the development of high-power fiber laser amplifiers and

directed-energy laser systems. This role requires deep expertise in opto-mechanical design and system-level thinking, with

responsibility for mechanical architecture, design trade studies, and technical execution across complex programs. The Principal

Mechanical Engineer will work closely with optical, electrical, thermal, and systems engineering leaders and will help guide

mechanical design strategy for laser amplifier subsystems. Key Responsibilities Lead mechanical and opto-mechanical architecture

and design for high-power fiber laser amplifiers and directed-energy systems Drive design trade studies addressing performance,

SWaP, reliability, environmental survivability, manufacturability, and cost Define mechanical requirements, interfaces, and system

layouts in collaboration with cross-functional engineering teams Apply DFX principles and manufacturing best practices to deliver

robust, production-ready designs Lead or review engineering analyses including thermal management, structural integrity,

vibration, shock, and materials selection Define and oversee design verification, acceptance testing, and environmental

qualification strategies Provide technical oversight for procurement, assembly, integration, and test of prototype and production

hardware Develop tooling, fixtures, and process equipment strategies to support scalable manufacturing Support system-level

integration and testing of HEL combined systems as required Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance across multiple

projects or programs Required Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field 10+ years of

relevant mechanical engineering experience with demonstrated technical leadership Extensive experience in precision mechanical and

opto-mechanical design Strong background in manufacturing processes including machining, sheet metal, and injection molding

Proficiency in SolidWorks and advanced engineering drawing practices, including tolerance analysis and GD&T per ANSI Y14.5

Demonstrated expertise in thermal, structural, and materials analyses Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the

ability to convey complex technical concepts Highly organized and detail-oriented Ability to obtain and maintain a U.S. DoD

Security Clearance Preferred Experience Development and qualification of high-power laser or electro-optical systems Experience

with fiber optics, optical assemblies, and precision alignment techniques Environmental and mechanical qualification testing for

military applications Experience with COMSOL or similar analysis tools Experience supporting system-level integration of

directed-energy or HEL systems Prior experience mentoring engineers or leading technical efforts Active DoD Secret Clearance

nLIGHT is proud to offer comprehensive COMPENSATION AND BENEFITS: Starting pay depends on qualifications: Principal Mechanical

Engineer: $125,000 - $165,000 annually Other Compensation and Benefits Target Cash Bonus of 10% Eligible for Restricted Stock Unit

grants 4 weeks of Paid Time Off per year 10 paid Holidays Eligible for health benefits on the 1st day of the month after your

start date Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits, including prescription and orthodontia with employee-paid premiums as low as

$40.00 per pay period Flexible Spending and Health Savings Accounts Employee Stock Purchase Plan 401(k) with company match and

immediate vesting Company paid Short-Term and Long-Term Disability, and Life & AD&D Insurance Employee Assistance Program Aflac

Supplemental Insurance Paid Bereavement Leave and Jury Duty Tuition Assistance Program Pet Insurance nLIGHT is subject to US

Export Control regulations. To qualify for this position, you must be a US Person (that is, a US citizen, lawful permanent

resident, or protected individual granted asylum or refugee status). Equal Opportunity Employer . All qualified applicants will

receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national

origin, protected veteran status, disability, or age. For more information about our commitment to equal employment opportunity,

please see this government poster: Know Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal . If you are an individual with a

disability and need a reasonable accommodation in the application or hiring process, please contact Human Resources at (360)

566-4460 or [email protected] . E-Verify Participation: nLIGHT participates in the E-Verify program. This employer will provide

the Social Security Administration (SSA) and, if necessary, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) with information from each

new employee’s Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. For more information, please review the following notices: E-Verify

Participation Poster Right to Work Poster

Role

Principal Mechanical Engineer

Similar Jobs

Principal Mechanical Engineer

The Exploration Company•Munich

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run. We are looking for a Principal Mechanical Engineer, to lead the Mechanical Engineering discipline for Nyx Earth, ensuring that mechanical systems are robust, justified, verified, and ready for flight. As a Principal you will manage a team of Mechanical Engineers, drive structural design and verification activities, and ensure technical excellence across structural analysis, testing, qualification, and verification. You will coordinate your work with the Principal CAD Engineer and with the Vehicle Mechanical Architect, under the guidance of the Mechanical Design Lead. You will play a key role in enabling the successful development of one of Europe's most ambitious space vehicles. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES * Lead the Mechanical Engineering team, defining priorities, supporting growth, and ensuring engineering excellence and delivery. * Support and collaborate to the mechanical design of the spacecraft and its major assemblies, ensuring structurally efficient, robust, manufacturable, and verifiable design solutions throughout the development lifecycle. * Provide technical leadership on the design of primary and secondary structures, large assemblies, equipment supports, and critical mechanical interfaces, ensuring consistency between design intent, structural justification, and verification strategy. * Own structural justification activities across the spacecraft, ensuring consistency of assumptions, margins, analyses, and engineering evidence. * Coordinate structural analyses and mechanical verification activities, with focus on test strategy and execution, from test definition and prediction to result interpretation and model correlation, ensuring results are coherent, traceable, and aligned with programme objectives. * Ensure verification evidence generated through testing and analysis is robust, review-ready, and suitable for qualification and certification activities towards space agencies. * Drive technical reviews, risk identification, and engineering maturity assessments to ensure readiness for major programme milestones. * Act as a hands-on technical leader, actively contributing to engineering decisions, test campaigns, anomaly investigations, and troubleshooting efforts. WHAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE FROM YOU Qualifications: * Degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, or a related field. * More than 10 years experience in spacecraft, launch vehicle, aerospace, defence, or other high-performance engineering environments. * Strong background in structure design, structural analysis, justification, qualification, and verification. * Proven experience leading engineering teams and developing technical talent. * Demonstrated experience supporting complex structural test campaigns, from preparation and prediction through execution and data interpretation. * Experience with qualification, certification, and engineering review processes. * Profound knowledge of space industry standards and methodologies. * Fluent in English. German, French, or Italian are an asset. Skills and Behaviors: * Ability to translate complex engineering challenges into clear decisions and actionable plans. * Strong leadership and mentoring skills within engineering teams. * Excellent collaboration across multidisciplinary teams and external partners. * Strong analytical mindset and engineering judgement. * Clear and effective communication with technical and programme stakeholders. * Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail. * Strong organisation and prioritisation capabilities. * Positive and pragmatic attitude to get the job done. * Demonstrates behaviors consistent with The Exploration Company’s core values of Vision, Mission, Competence, Integrity and Team Spirit. Why you should join us! What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is: * We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind * We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them * We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge? We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly. The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible. If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.

Deadline: Aug 24Posted: Jul 24

Staff/Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, Flight Mechanisms

Heartaerospace•Los Angeles

At Heart Aerospace we develop the ES-30, a regional hybrid-electric airplane with a capacity of 30 passengers, an electric zero-emission range of 200 km and an extended hybrid range of 400 km. Heart is targeting type certification of the ES-30 by the end of the decade. Your mission As part of the Flight Mechanisms team, you will be responsible for design, development, validation, and eventually certification of components including primary and secondary flight control actuators, propulsion and landing gear components, and environmental control (ECS) components. You will work with electrical, software, and mechanical engineers across teams to build and fly complex systems. Key responsibilities include but are not limited * The opportunity to exercise full ownership over the design, fabrication and test of novel flight components. * You will lead the design of crucial subcomponents including gears, bearings, seals. * Design, build and test components to environmental qualification standards such as DO-160G, MIL-STD-810, or similar. * Work will a cross-functional team developing electronic and software control systems. (This position can be hired as a Staff Mechanical Design Engineer or Principal Mechanical Design Engineer ) Skills & Requirements: You'll Bring These Qualifications for Staff Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanisms * 8+ years experience using CAD software in a professional environment (e.g., NX, CATIA, SolidWorks or similar). * Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, including design (CAD), analysis (FEA/hand calcs), and fabrication (machine shop) * Experience with pneumatic, hydraulic, and/or electromechanical (motorized) systems. * Passion for aircraft and electrification of the aviation industry. You'll Bring These Qualifications for Principal Mechanical Design Engineer, Mechanisms * 12+ years experience using CAD software in a professional environment (e.g., NX, CATIA, SolidWorks or similar). * Strong mechanical engineering fundamentals, including design (CAD), analysis (FEA/hand calcs), and fabrication (machine shop) * Experience with pneumatic, hydraulic, and/or electromechanical (motorized) systems. * Passion for aircraft and electrification of the aviation industry. These Qualifications Would Be Nice to Have: * Thorough familiarity with aerospace design and regulatory standards (e.g., FAA, EASA) such as DO-160G, MIL-STD-810, or similar. * Demonstrated experience with hand-calculation methods for preliminary and verification analysis of complex mechanical systems. * Strong understanding of mechanical manufacturing fundamentals, including advanced GD&T concepts and application for mechanisms. * Proven capability to take designs from concept through to analysis and production, working independently and collaboratively with cross-functional teams. Education * Bachelor's in mechanical engineering, computer science, electrical engineering, or similar engineering discipline. Base Pay Range: $173,000—$257,000 USD

Deadline: Aug 17Posted: Jul 16

Flight Systems & Mechanisms

AIT Thermal/ECLSS Team Leader

The Exploration Company•Munich

Here at The Exploration Company, we are developing, producing, and operating Nyx, a modular and reusable space orbital vehicle that can eventually be refuelled in orbit and that can carry cargo - and potentially humans in the longer run. We are seeking an experienced AIT Thermal/ECLSS Team Leader to lead our dynamic AIT thermal/ECLSS team. In this role, you will be responsible for the planning and execution of thermal/ECLSS integration and testing for Nyx Earth, starting from sub-system level thermal and ECLSS test campaigns. You are requested to lead a small team. This is a unique opportunity to play a hands-on role in testing and qualifying critical space systems in a fast-paced, innovation-driven environment. You will report to the AIT Mechanical Principal Engineer. KEY RESPONSIBILITIES: * Integration & Test Planning: Design and plan thermal EVT (environment test) campaign at system/capsule level. Design and plan all thermal/ECLSS activities at sub-system levels (cold plate qualification, Pressure Compartment System, Ventilation system, etc..) for system and sub-system level. Support the preparation of engineering drawings for manufacture of test bench components. Lead team and activities to have a succesful integration of the Thermal system in the Capsule. * Hardware Management: Define and manage flight hardware interfaces during integration (pipes, fittings, valves, MLI, heaters, sensors, harness routing, thermal fillers, etc.). Design the 3D setup of test activities and build test setup. Procure test parts and write/execute procedures for all test activities. * Test Execution: Plan, define, prepare, execute, and oversee thermal/ECLSS tests in coordination with internal and external test facilities. * Data Analysis & Reporting: Provide test results and generate comprehensive test reports. Support in correlate and validate models in collaboration with engineering team. * Cross-functional Collaboration: Work closely with the design office and systems engineering to ensure design meets flight qualification standards. Improve the processes and procedure with the lessons learned of the previous operations. Support the team in other factory setup as we are a growing company, the perimeter can evolve along the mission. * Compliance & Safety: Ensure all testing activities comply with spaceflight standards and internal quality/safety protocols. WHAT WE WOULD LOVE TO SEE FROM YOU: * A minimum of a MSc degree in Aerospace Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Thermal Physics, or related field. * Over 5 years of relevant experience in testing or integration in the aerospace sector. * Strong understanding of spacecraft thermal control systems, ECLSS systems, and test methodologies. * Hands-on experience with TVAC chambers, thermal cycling equipment, sensor systems and test bench setup, including pipe bending. * Familiarity with instrumentation (thermocouples, RTDs, thermal blankets, heaters, pressure sensors, actuators, etc.). * Experience in writing and executing test procedures and managing test campaigns. * Experience with CAD software preferably with Siemens NX * Experience in managing a small team. * Excellent problem-solving skills, autonomy, and attention to detail. * Fluency in English. Why you should join us! What makes us special here at The Exploration Company and why we think you will enjoy working here is: * We’re Agile - we make decisions fast whilst keeping our goals and systems in mind * We’re Open and Collaborative - we are transparent about risks and obstacles, so that we can cooperate to overcome them * We have a lot of Fun - we refuel our energy knowing we are democratising space. It’s a wonderful and rare opportunity, are YOU up for the challenge? We'd love to hear from you if you wish to be a part of our journey. Please submit your CV now for immediate consideration and we will be in touch shortly. The Exploration Company is an equal opportunity employer and values diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status or disability status. Relocation assistance is provided for those willing to relocate including visa sponsorship where applicable. All offers are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, which will be subject to the country, role, and project you applied for. By submitting your application, you acknowledge and agree that any offer of employment may be conditional upon successful condition of this check. The Exploration Company partners with Zinc Work Limited located in the UK (Zinc), a third-party provider, to ensure this process as efficient and transparent as possible. If applicable, you will receive an email from Zinc upon acceptance of your offer with a link to a secure portal where you can provide the required information to Zinc.

Deadline: Aug 16Posted: Jul 7