Planet · 6 hours ago
Lead Optical Manufacturing Technician
San Francisco, CA
Full-time
Onsite
Senior Level
$144K/yr - $181K/yr
6+ years expPlanet is a company that designs, builds, and operates the largest constellation of imaging satellites in history. As the Lead Optical Manufacturing Technician, you will oversee a team of optical technicians and ensure high technical and operational standards while managing multiple satellite programs.
AerospaceAnalyticsBig DataGeospatialRemote SensingSoftware
Responsibilities
Lead a team of optics technicians through daily standups, clear task delegation, and continuous alignment across multiple active optical payload programs
Become fully fluent in the optical design, requirements, test needs, and build sequences for all optics programs (e.g., telescopes, focal planes, camera assemblies)
Prioritize work across programs, ensuring the team is meeting deadlines, escalating blockers early, and keeping engineers informed
Train technicians on optical assembly, alignment, metrology, and test procedures; ensure all training and documentation is thorough and consistently followed
Own execution and quality standards for optical builds, including IPC cleanliness expectations, proper optical handling, and alignment best practices
Partner closely with optical and optomechanical engineers to resolve issues, perform root-cause analysis, request missing information, and ensure manufacturing readiness for new designs
Maintain a well-organized optics lab, including test equipment, metrology stations, optical benches, hardware, calibration tools, and inventory
Review, improve, and enforce detailed procedures and build instructions to ensure repeatability, clarity, and high-quality output
Report daily/weekly program status, team progress, and risks to engineering and manufacturing managers
Drive continuous improvement in throughput, yield, documentation, team communication, ergonomics, and workflow
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree in Optical Engineering, Physics, Optics, or related field
6+ years of hands-on experience with imaging systems, telescope builds, optical metrology, or optomechanical assemblies
Strong understanding of optical alignment, image quality metrics, stray light considerations, camera calibration, and radiometric/MFT calculations
Ability to lead or mentor technical teams—delegation, prioritization, coaching, and performance feedback
Excellent communication skills (verbal, written, cross-functional), with demonstrated ability to clearly articulate needs, escalate early, and maintain strong engineering <> manufacturing alignment
High level of technical curiosity and the ability to ask clarifying questions when requirements, drawings, or instructions are ambiguous
Strong debugging and analytical skills for optomechanical and electrical subsystems
Proficiency with optical test equipment (interferometers, wavefront sensors, autocollimators, integrating spheres, monochromators, power meters)
Strong organizational and documentation skills: ability to maintain clean labs, up-to-date procedures, and clear digital trails (Slack, JIRA, Confluence)
Experience writing or modifying detailed test/assembly procedures
Ability to work in a high-speed, high-accountability environment with multiple deadlines and shifting priorities
Familiarity with laboratory safety, cleanroom practices, and handling of delicate optical components
Preferred
Prior experience as a lead, supervisor, or senior optical technician/engineer
Success improving a lab's operational health: workflows, communication loops, scheduling, and throughput
Experience with Zemax or equivalent optical modeling tools
Experience onboarding, training, and up-leveling technical talent
Experience bridging gaps between engineering and manufacturing teams, especially during new product introduction (NPI)
Strong systems thinking — ability to anticipate next steps, downstream impacts, and potential risks before they become issues
Familiarity with Python, MATLAB, or lab automation tools
Experience bonding optics (epoxies, RTV), handling optical coatings, and completing precision alignments
Ability to thrive in a dynamic, high-pressure environment while maintaining quality and calm leadership presence
Benefits
Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision plans
Health Savings Account (HSA) with a company contribution
Generous Paid Time Off in addition to holidays and company-wide days off
16 Weeks of Paid Parental Leave
Wellness Program and Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
Home Office Reimbursement
Monthly Phone and Internet Reimbursement
Tuition Reimbursement and access to LinkedIn Learning
Equity
Commuter Benefits (if local to an office)
Volunteering Paid Time Off
Company
Planet
Planet is an aerospace and data analytics company that builds small satellites and delivers information about the changing planet.
501-1000 employees
H1B Sponsorship
Planet has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2022 (5)
2021 (12)
Funding
Current Stage
Public CompanyTotal Funding
$1.03BKey Investors
BlackRockBloombergNEFPrelude Ventures
2025-09-09Post Ipo Debt· $460M
2021-12-08Post Ipo Equity· $200M
2021-12-08IPO
Leadership Team
Will Marshall
Co-Founder & CEO
Robbie Schingler
Co-Founder and Chief Strategy Officer
Recent News
2026-01-13
Morningstar.com
2026-01-12
Company data provided by crunchbase