RESEARCH ANALYST - RESEARCH ENGINEER - SR. RESEARCH ANALYST - Optomechanical Systems - Boulder, C... at Southwest Research Institute

Who We Are:

As a recognized leader in space science research and spacecraft instrumentation, avionics, and electronics, we work to reveal the secrets of our solar system and the universe.

Objectives of this Role:

• This position will participate in the research and development of experimental, laser-based, spaceflight instrumentation enabling in-situ geochronology investigations across the Solar System.
• Work in multidisciplinary laboratory environment to design, build, and optimize novel spacecraft instrumentation for scientific missions to the moon and beyond.
• Contribute to the design, development, and hands-on fabrication, assembly, integration, and test of instrumentation systems from concept to flight instrument delivery.
• Support senior R&D personnel in cutting edge research involving pulsed lasers, mass spectrometry and high-speed data acquisition systems.

Daily and Monthly Responsibilities:

• Work with scientific personnel to design, build, and test laser-based instrumentation capable of in-situ isotopic geochronology.
• Hands-on work with of Class IIIb/Class IV pulsed and CW lasers, ultra-high vacuum systems, pressurized gases, cryogens and high-voltage systems.
• Typical duties will involve the formulation and implementation of approaches to solving a wide array of experimental flight hardware problems – focused on the design, assembly and control of mechanical and electrical systems for data collection.
• Collaborate in the design, fabrication and performance validation of various optomechanical systems and interfacing with external vendors to procure instrumentation hardware, system sub-components and laboratory test equipment.
• Experimental data collection in an optical laboratory environment, LabView data acquisition and control system development, and CAD modeling of new hardware assemblies.
• Align and optimize laser system and optical components to maximizing ablation and resonance ionization.
• Optimize high speed timing, timing current, and voltage to optimize fiber laser performance.
• Troubleshoot microwave electronics, including impedance matching, wiring harnesses, and connector challenges.

Requirements:

• Requires a Bachelors or a Masters or a PhD in Aerospace Engineering, Systems Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Optical Engineering, Engineering Physics, Applied Physics or a related engineering field.
• 1 year: Those with a PhD: experience with optomechanics, lasers, and high vacuum systems. Academic or professional experience working in a laboratory environment.
• 2 years: Those with a BS or MS: experience with optomechanics, lasers, and high vacuum systems. Academic or professional experience working in a laboratory environment.
• 1 year: Demonstrated experience in building experimental systems, scientific instruments or engineering test beds.
• A valid/clear driver's license is required.