Lead Mechanisms Engineer at Albedo

Denver, Colorado, United States

Albedo Logo
Not SpecifiedCompensation
Senior (5 to 8 years), Expert & Leadership (9+ years)Experience Level
Full TimeJob Type
UnknownVisa
Aerospace, Space Technology, SatelliteIndustries

Requirements

  • 10+ years in aerospace, robotics, or optical systems with a focus on precision mechanism design
  • Demonstrated experience developing reaction wheels, CMGs, or momentum management systems
  • Demonstrated experience developing high-stability actuation for optical payloads (focus, alignment, fine steering)
  • Demonstrated experience developing mechanisms with tight jitter and pointing stability requirements
  • Strong system-level intuition — knowledge of how mechanism performance shapes GNC, image quality, and spacecraft agility
  • Expertise in rotor balancing and bearing dynamics
  • Expertise in motor control and torque ripple minimization
  • Expertise in structural dynamics and modal analysis for mechanism-induced jitter
  • Expertise in materials and lubrication for vacuum and low Earth orbit environments

Responsibilities

  • Own architecture, design, and development of reaction wheels and CMGs optimized for VLEO: extremely low jitter, high torque, and long life
  • Lead multi-disciplinary projects to deliver precision low-jitter mechanisms that meet image motion, pointing, and agility performance requirements from a first principles approach
  • Translate or help derive jitter, agility, and bandwidth requirements into mechanism design constraints and testable specs
  • Own the schedule, budget, and performance parameters of all new mechanism development to deliver on project and program capabilities
  • Evaluate and implement design for manufacturing (DFM) strategies for high rate production with respect to mechanism balancing, characterization, and lifetime test strategies
  • Collaborate deeply with GNC and Structural Engineers to ensure closed-loop control performance and system model correlation is enabled, not limited, by the hardware
  • Lead qualification efforts for all mechanisms operating in VLEO, including test planning for atomic oxygen, high drag, and microvibration
  • Drive future development of fast steering mirrors for agile optical pointing, articulating assemblies for adaptive communications or SDA payloads, and focus and alignment mechanisms for optical payloads

Skills

Mechanisms Engineering
Mechanical Design
CAD
Satellite Systems
VLEO
Precision Engineering
Systems Engineering
Manufacturing
Testing
Finite Element Analysis
GD&T
Materials Science
Thermal Analysis
Vibration Analysis
Deployment Mechanisms

Albedo

Develops low-flying satellites for high-resolution imagery

About Albedo

Albedo develops low-flying satellites that capture high-resolution visible and thermal imagery. Their satellites provide 10cm resolution for visible imagery and 2m for thermal imagery, which is the highest quality available for commercial use. This imagery is useful for various industries such as mapping, insurance, utilities, agriculture, and national security. Albedo's goal is to make aerial quality imagery accessible and easy to purchase, allowing clients to obtain precise data for informed decision-making. Unlike competitors, Albedo focuses on transparency in tasking and accessibility, which helps drive market growth and encourages new applications for their imagery. The company generates revenue by selling this high-resolution imagery to clients who need detailed and reliable data.

Denver, ColoradoHeadquarters
2020Year Founded
$90.5MTotal Funding
SERIES_ACompany Stage
Food & Agriculture, Industrial & Manufacturing, AerospaceIndustries
51-200Employees

Benefits

Health Insurance
401(k) Company Match
Paid Vacation
Paid Holidays
Unlimited Paid Time Off
Parental Leave
Relocation Assistance
Wellness Program
Flexible Work Hours
Company Equity
Employee Stock Purchase Plan
Company Social Events
Professional Development Budget

Risks

Privacy concerns over high-resolution imagery could lead to regulatory challenges for Albedo.
Technical challenges in maintaining VLEO satellites may increase operational costs for Albedo.
Expansion with military experts may raise concerns about potential militarization of technology.

Differentiation

Albedo offers the highest commercially available resolution for visible and thermal imagery.
Their low-flying satellites enable aerial quality imagery from space, a unique market position.
Albedo's imagery supports diverse applications, from agriculture to national security.

Upsides

Growing demand for high-resolution imagery in precision agriculture boosts Albedo's market potential.
Insurance and utility sectors increasingly rely on satellite imagery, expanding Albedo's customer base.
Interest in carbon offset projects increases demand for Albedo's accurate satellite data.

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