Senior Mechanical Engineer - Instrumentation Hardware
Atom Computing · Boulder, United States · 10d ago
At Atom Computing, we build quantum computers using arrays of optically trapped neutral atoms that will empower customers to achieve unprecedented computational breakthroughs. Join a world-class team of scientists, engineering, and business professionals to advance the state-of-the-art in quantum computing.
We're looking for a Mechanical Engineer to join our Opto-Mechanical Engineering team to focus on designing the physical systems that house, protect, and connect our Control Systems and associated electronic products - from enclosures and chassis to thermal management and cabling. You'll work closely with electrical, firmware, and systems engineers to turn functional requirements into manufacturable, reliable hardware, primarily for 19" rack-mount and other pluggable instrumentation form factors.
This is a hands-on mechanical design role covering the full product lifecycle: concept, CAD modeling, analysis, prototyping, and production support.
This position is located in Boulder, Colorado, and will report to the Opto-Mechanical Engineering Manager.
Responsibilities
- Design enclosures, heat sinks, shields, cabling, chassis, and front panels for rack-mount and pluggable instrumentation products
- Create and maintain detailed CAD models, assemblies, and drawings
- Perform thermal and airflow analysis to ensure components stay within operating temperature limits under real-world conditions
- Designing in sheet metal, extrusions, and machined parts as well as rapid prototyping (3D printing and other quick turn methods)
- Assist with connector and cable analysis and design; assess board and front panel space requirements and density, cable routing and restrictions, etc
- Conduct tolerance studies (GD&T-based) to ensure fit, function, and manufacturability across assemblies
- Collaborate with electrical engineers to integrate PCBs, power supplies, and wiring into mechanical packaging
- Support design reviews, prototyping, testing, and validation (thermal, structural, EMI/EMC as applicable)
- Work with manufacturing, suppliers, and operations to ensure designs transition smoothly from prototype to production
Experience & Education
- BS in Mechanical Engineering
- 5+ years of mechanical engineering design experience relatable to instrument design
Required Qualifications
- Proficiency with CAD and simulation tools; SolidWorks and Ansys (e.g., Icepak, Mechanical, Fluent) preferred, though familiarity with similar CAD/FEA/CFD tools will also be considered
- Experience working with mechanical fixtures for PCBs (supports, integration fixtures, multi-board design with FMC or other board-to-board mating interfaces, heat sinks, shields, connectors, etc)
- Solid understanding of thermal management for electronics: heat sink design, airflow/CFD analysis, and component-level cooling
- Mechanical drawing and GD&T per ASME Y14.5M, tolerance stack analysis
- Experience with sheet metal design, fabrication methods, and cable/harness design
- Ability to work cross-functionally with electrical and systems engineers to balance mechanical, thermal, and electrical constraints
- Robust packaging of sensitive systems for shipping or extreme environments
- Comfortable moving between early-stage concept work and detailed production-ready design
Desired Qualifications
- Familiarity with pluggable instrumentation standards such as MicroTCA, PXI, VPX, or similar and modular PCB form factors, such as FMC
- Experience with RF shielding, EMI/EMC design considerations
- Experience with electronics test fixture design
- Exposure to test & measurement or precision instrumentation products
- Experience supporting products through sustainment/value engineering after initial release
- Familiarity with PLM and PDM tools