Laser Technician / Electro-Optical Technician

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

ABOUT US Harmattan AI is a next-generation defense prime building autonomous and scalable defense systems. Following the close of a $200M Series B, valuing the company at $1.4 billion, we are expanding our teams and capabilities to deliver mission-critical systems to allied forces. Our work is guided by clear values: building technologies with real-world impact, pursuing excellence in everything we do, setting ambitious goals, and taking on the hardest technical challenges. We operate in a demanding environment where rigor, ownership, and execution are expected. About the Role As a Sensor Fusion Engineer, you will adapt, tune, and validate our core sensor-fusion capability to work seamlessly with new and third-party sensor systems. Sitting within our product and engineering team, your mission is to turn raw sensor data into an accurate, coherent track picture as our systems incorporate additional sensors over time. This is an applied, field-willing engineering role. You will work hand-in-hand with our Integration Software Engineers (who deliver the sensor feeds) and support the deployment team for episodic, on-site tuning and validation against real-world sensor data. Durable fusion improvements you develop will flow directly back into our core product baseline. Responsibilities * Fusion Adaptation: Adapt existing sensor-fusion capabilities—including track correlation, data association, filtering/estimation, and track management—to accommodate new and third-party sensor characteristics. * Sensor Characterization: Analyze real-world sensor data to thoroughly understand its behavior, utilizing these insights to inform and refine fusion parameters and models. * Tuning & Optimization: Fine-tune fusion performance within specific operational contexts, expertly balancing accuracy, latency, and robustness. * Validation: Validate fusion performance against both representative and live data within controlled environments as well as on-site. * On-Site Support: Provide episodic field support to validate and tune fusion behavior against real, live sensors during deployment phases. * Productization & Feedback: Fold reusable fusion improvements back into the main product baseline, avoiding customer-specific forks, and collaborate on downstream capabilities like detection and classification. Candidate Requirements Technical Experience & Educational Background: * A strong academic record—ideally in a technical field (e.g., Engineering, Computer Science, Robotics, Aerospace, or Signal Processing). * Solid applied background in sensor/data fusion, state estimation, and target tracking (e.g., Kalman/Bayesian filtering, multi-target tracking, data association); we value applied competence over pure research. * Strong software engineering skills (e.g., Python and/or C++) to prototype, adapt, and validate fusion components. * Solid foundation in signal-processing fundamentals and the ability to work directly with raw, real-world sensor data. * Data-analysis rigor to effectively characterize sensor behavior and quantitatively measure fusion performance. Leadership, Adaptability & Core Attributes: * Systems Thinking: A strong capacity to handle large-scale, complex projects, explicitly understanding how sensor fusion bridges the gap between raw sensor inputs and downstream decision-making. * Adaptability & Mobility: Thrives under pressure in a fast-paced environment and embraces a “no-task-is-too-small” mentality; comfortable with episodic travel for on-site tuning and validation phases. * Communication & Influence: Excellent written and verbal communication skills (professional working proficiency in English is required), capable of collaborating across diverse teams—from integration engineers to field deployment teams. * Commitment: 100% dedication to Harmattan AI’s mission, vision, and ambitious growth plans, ready to operate with discretion within a defense environment involving clearance/vetting and confidentiality obligations. Nice-to-Have (Preferred Qualifications): * Experience working with radar and/or electro-optical/infrared (EO/IR) sensor data. * Experience with detection, classification, or machine learning (the natural next layer on top of fused data). * Background in real-time or embedded systems. * Domain experience in industrial technology, unmanned systems, or robotics/autonomy perception. We look forward to hearing how you can help shape the future of autonomous defense systems at Harmattan AI.