Mechanical Engineer

The impact you will make

We are looking for a highly capable Mechanical/ Optomechanical Engineer to join our team and take the lead in designing and optimizing large, ultra-stable optical mounts for high-energy, ultra-short-pulse laser systems. This role requires expertise in mechanical design, vibration and thermal analysis and precision kinematics. You will collaborate closely with optical physicists and systems engineers to ensure the structural stability and adjustability of critical laser components under demanding operating conditions. 

Your responsibilities

• Design and optimize large optical mounts capable of maintaining micron/sub micron positioning and high angular stability under thermal loads, mechanical vibrations and environmental changes
• Perform and interpret modal, harmonic, and random-vibration/PSD analyses to identify structural resonances and predict optical displacement and angular stability under realistic environmental excitation.
• Translate thermal results into optomechanical performance, evaluating how temperature changes and gradients influence mirror displacement, tip/tilt, surface deformation, optical alignment, and wavefront quality.
• Optimize structures for high eigenfrequencies and low vibration sensitivity while maintaining appropriate mass, manufacturability, accessibility, and adjustment capability.
• Select appropriate materials based not only on mechanical strength but also on CTE, thermal conductivity, stiffness-to-mass ratio, dimensional stability, vacuum compatibility, and optical-system requirements.
• Select and integrate precision adjustment components including threads, springs, flexures, bearings, actuators, motors, and precision stages, considering load capacity, stiffness, resolution, backlash, repeatability, and stability.
• Use CAD tools and mechanical modeling software to develop and iterate on designs in collaboration with physicists and systems engineers
• Support prototype testing and correlate FEA predictions with displacement, vibration, thermal, and alignment measurements. 

What you bring

• Proven experience designing large, stable optical mounts or optomechanical assemblies for high-energy laser systems
• Strong understanding of precision mechanical design and kinematics, including spatial and angular degrees of freedom, stiffness, backlash, repeatability, and alignment.
• Experience with thermal and thermo-mechanical simulation, including temperature gradients, thermal expansion, heat transfer, cooling concepts, and resulting structural deformation.
• Good understanding of engineering materials and their relevant properties, including CTE, stiffness, thermal conductivity, dimensional stability, and vacuum compatibility.
• Proficiency in CAD and mechanical modeling (e.g. SolidWorks, Inventor or similar), including thermal and vibrational analysis techniques
• Ability to translate optical requirements into mechanical, thermal, positioning, and stability requirements and work effectively with optical engineers, physicists, controls engineers, and manufacturing teams.

What sets you apart

• Direct experience with high-energy, high-power, or ultra-short-pulse laser systems, particularly compressors, stretchers, large mirrors, gratings, or beam-transport systems.
• Experience designing optomechanical systems requiring micron/sub-micron positional precision and µrad or sub-µrad angular stability.
• Understanding of how mechanical and thermal effects translate into optical performance, including wavefront distortion, mirror deformation, pointing stability, and alignment drift.
• Experience with advanced simulation methods such as coupled thermal-structural analysis, harmonic response, and PSD/random-vibration analysis, including correlation with experimental measurements.
• Hands-on experience with the manufacturing, assembly, alignment, testing, and validation of large precision optical systems.

The pay range for this position is: $100,000 - $148,256 per year.

The above pay scale reflects the broad, minimum to maximum, pay scale for this job code for the location for which it has been posted. Even more importantly, please note that salary is only one component of total compensation at Marvel Fusion. Final compensation will be determined based on factors including experience, qualifications, and location. Marvel Fusion also offers comprehensive benefits including health insurance (medical, dental, vision), 401(k) matching, paid time off, and parental leave. Candidates may be considered for other positions at Marvel Fusion, and our actual base salary will be determined on an individual basis and may vary depending on job-related knowledge and skills, education, and experience. The range is published in accordance with the Colorado Equal Pay for Equal Work Act.

What we offer

• An opportunity to make a huge impact on the future of our planet by making clean, safe, and abundant energy possible.
• Flexible working hours-wise and work environment.
• A highly competitive compensation and benefits package including:
  • Premiere Health, Dental, and Vision insurance for employees and their families
  • Short‑term and Long‑term disability
  • 401(k) Pension plan
  • Phone Bill reimbursement
  • Employee Incentive Programm
  • Learning & Development Budget
  • Flexible PTO:
    • 31 days PTO: 21 paid vacation days, up to 10 sick days
    • 11 Company‑wide holidays
    • Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave

Equal Employment Opportunity

Marvel Fusion is proud to be an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and is committed to attracting, retaining, and developing a highly qualified, diverse, and dedicated work force. Marvel Fusion hires and promotes people on the basis of their qualifications, performance, and abilities. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment regardless of their race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin/ethnicity, age, physical or mental disability, genetic factors, military/veteran status, or any other status or characteristic protected by federal, state, and/or local law. Marvel Fusion will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with applicable federal, state, and local laws.