{"id":3817512,"url":"https://alion.io/job/draper-astronomical-instrument-engineer","title":"Astronomical Instrument Engineer","company":{"id":58532,"name":"Draper","domain":"draper.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/draper-com","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":77,"open_postings":78,"ghost_share":0.013,"stale_share":0.872,"repost_share":0.013,"time_to_fill_p50_days":33,"computed_at":"2026-11-08T05:47:12Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"middle","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Cambridge, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":75000,"max":156000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":156000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"MATLAB","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-11-05T16:38:30Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-11-05","last_verified_at":"2026-11-08T05:51:42Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":2,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":2},"description":"Overview:\nDraper is an independent, nonprofit research and development company headquartered in Cambridge, MA. The 2,000+ employees of Draper tackle important national challenges with a promise of delivering successful and usable solutions. From military defense and space exploration to biomedical engineering, lives often depend on the solutions we provide. Our multidisciplinary teams of engineers and scientists work in a collaborative environment that inspires the cross-fertilization of ideas necessary for true innovation. For more information about Draper, visit www.draper.com.\nJob Description Summary:\nDraper is conducting a nationwide search for a scientist/engineer with a background in astronomy, optical engineering, optomechanics, or astrophysics and hands-on technical experience with optics-based celestial imaging instruments and astronomy-based data reduction and analysis. The successful applicant can expect to be a part of complex technology development efforts, with important responsibilities including: design, modeling, testing, and use of astronomical observing instruments, celestial sighting demonstrations, lab- and field-based optical instrumentation activities, modeling and simulation (e.g., ray tracing, CAD modeling, etc.), and data reduction and analysis. In addition, the ability to quickly learn on-the-job skills is expected.Job Description:\nDuties/Responsibilities\nApplies technical knowledge to domains related to their area of expertise, and seeks out new technical skills to support program needs.\nAnalyzes requirements and develops appropriate precision instruments with minimal guidance.\nDesigns experiments and experimental hardware to prove which design concepts are viable and optimal.\nCollaborates with other engineers to design and develop prototype and production hardware to meet the application needs.\nCollaborates with other groups to integrate precision instruments into larger systems, delivering on performance metrics.\nDevelops initial processes for the fabrication of custom designed instruments.\nDrafts and presents formal technical documents, reports, and testing results to manager for approval.\nProvides training related to devices to employees, sub-contractors and/or customers.\nPerforms basic independent research and seeks assistance when needed for solving problems.\nContributes content for technical reports and presentations with appropriate guidance.\nPerforms other duties as assigned.\nSkills/Abilities\nExcellent verbal and written communication skills.\nUnderstanding of the design, development, and application of a wide variety of instruments.\nUnderstanding of the processes used in the fabrication of precision instrument hardware.\nThorough understanding of applied math and physics.\nExcellent organizational skills and attention to detail.\nStrong analytical and problem-solving skills.\nProficient with general modeling and simulation tools such as MATLAB, computer-aided design (CAD) software, Finite Element Analysis (FEA) software, and/or other design & analysis tools relevant to your discipline.\nEducation\nRequires a bachelors degree in Mechanical, Applied Physics, Electrical or Computer Engineering required; Masters or PhD degree preferred.\nExperience\nRequires 3-5 years of experience in Hardware Instrument Engineering or related.\nAdditional Job Description:\nApplicants selected for this position will be required to obtain and maintain a government security clearance. Secret clearance is preferred.\nConnect With Draper for Future Opportunities! If you don't find the right posting in our Career Opportunities, you may submit your resume for future consideration.\nJob Location - City:\nCambridgeJob Location - State:\nMassachusettsJob Location - Postal Code:\n02139-3563The US base salary range for this full-time position is\n$75,000.00 - $156,000.00Our salary ranges are determined by role, level, and location. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by work location and additional factors, including job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. Union ranges will be in compliance with the collective bargaining agreement's approved rates by location and role.Your recruiter can share more about the specific salary range for your preferred location during the hiring process. Please note that the compensation details listed in US role postings reflect the base salary only, and does not include bonuses or benefits.\nOur work is very important to us, but so is our life outside of work. Draper supports many programs to improve work-life balance including workplace flexibility, employee clubs ranging from photography to yoga, health and finance workshops, off site social events and discounts to local museums and cultural activities. If this specific job opportunity and the chance to work at a nationally renowned R&D innovation company appeals to you, apply now www.draper.com/careers.\nDraper is committed to creating an inclusive environment. We understand the value of inclusivity and its impact on a high-performance culture. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, disability, age, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, or genetic information. Draper is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, its services, programs, and activities. To request reasonable accommodation, please contact .","description_format":"text","description_chars":5630,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":true,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["C4ISR","Avionics & Flight Control","Research Institutes"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-05T16:38:30Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":2,"expected_fill_days":33,"reasons":["conf:12","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-11-08T05:47:12Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":156000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/draper-astronomical-instrument-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/draper-astronomical-instrument-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-08T12:34:17Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":26737,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-09T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":58532},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=58532"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fdraper-astronomical-instrument-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fdraper-astronomical-instrument-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fdraper-astronomical-instrument-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/draper-astronomical-instrument-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fdraper-astronomical-instrument-engineer"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":3817512}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"draper.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":3817512},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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