---
title: 'Sr. Industrial Designer at Observable Space'
canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/sr-industrial-designer-observable-space-los-angeles-f6yk9fksd65t'
type: 'job'
last_seen: '2026-11-11'
---

# Sr. Industrial Designer at Observable Space

- **Company:** Observable Space
- **Location:** Los Angeles, CA
- **Compensation:** $115k–$175k
- **Employment:** full-time
- **Work type:** hybrid
- **Posted:** 2026-11-09
- **Last confirmed live:** 2026-11-11
- **Apply:** https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/observable-space/b8a1320f-48ec-4512-b19b-7ee7a8c53829

## Job description

## About Observable Space

At Observable Space, we're redefining how humanity observes and connects with the universe. We're a vertically integrated, high-growth, space technology company building industry-leading precision optics platforms for Earth and in space. Our systems are trusted by thousands of customers, including NASA, JPL, SpaceX, Boeing, RTX, the US Space Force and the U.S. Department of War, leading research institutions and international partners. We combine precision opto-mechanical hardware, embedded compute, cloud orchestration, and developer-friendly APIs into world class products at scale with in-house manufacturing. From advanced ground stations, on-orbit sensor suites, free space optical lasercom, to distributed compute platforms, we deliver the foundational systems enabling continuous, real-time navigation, observation, and communication in space. Observable Space is backed by top-tier institutional investors including Lux Capital, Upfront Ventures, RTX Ventures, Detroit Venture Partners and Embedded Ventures. To learn more, visit [observable.space](http://observable.space).

## About the Role

We’re seeking an Industrial Designer to shape the next generation of telescopes, laser communications terminals, and space optics hardware. You’ll turn complex technical requirements into thoughtfully designed products, bringing a strong eye for form, an understanding of how people use equipment, and practical knowledge of how hardware gets built. Working closely with optical, mechanical, electrical, and software engineers, you’ll develop products from early sketches and physical mockups through production. Your work will define how our systems look, feel, and function in the hands of the people who install, operate, and maintain them—and establish a consistent design language across our product family.

## What You’ll Do

- Lead industrial design projects from concept exploration through prototyping, design refinement, and production support.
- Develop a cohesive design language across telescopes, optical terminals, enclosures, and supporting equipment.
- Communicate and evaluate ideas through sketches, 3D CAD models, renderings, and physical prototypes.
- Design for practical use: handling, transport, installation, cable management, operator controls, and access for maintenance.
- Partner with engineering teams to integrate optical, mechanical, electrical, and thermal requirements into well-resolved product designs.
- Define color, material, and finish specifications, surface details, product markings, and fit-and-finish expectations.
- Build and test mockups to evaluate proportions, ergonomics, assembly access, and user workflows.
- Work with engineers, fabricators, and suppliers to select appropriate manufacturing processes and carry design intent into finished hardware.
- Participate in design reviews and refine products based on prototype testing, manufacturing feedback, and customer experience.

## Basic Qualifications

- Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Transportation Design, or a related field—or equivalent professional experience.
- 5+ years of industrial design experience developing physical products, including products that have reached production.
- A strong portfolio demonstrating concept development, aesthetic judgment, 3D modeling, physical prototyping, and finished hardware.
- Proficiency in CAD and surface modeling tools such as SolidWorks, Rhino, NX, or Alias, with the ability to exchange usable geometry with engineering teams.
- Strong visualization skills using tools such as KeyShot, Blender, or equivalent.
- Practical understanding of materials, manufacturing processes, assembly methods, and design for manufacture.
- Hands-on experience building prototypes and using them to make design decisions.
- Ability to explain design choices clearly, incorporate technical feedback, and manage multiple projects with substantial independence.
- Interest in precision instruments, optical technologies, and hardware built for demanding environments.

## Preferred Qualifications

- Experience designing telescopes, scientific instruments, optical systems, aerospace hardware, robotics, or other technically complex equipment.
- Experience with rugged outdoor products, environmental sealing, protective enclosures, and serviceable assemblies.
- Familiarity with CNC machining, sheet metal, castings, composites, additive manufacturing, or injection molding.
- Understanding of how industrial design choices affect optical clearances, alignment access, thermal behavior, cleanliness, and surface reflections.
- Experience observing customers or field teams and translating their needs into product improvements.

Portfolio Please include a portfolio showing how you develop ideas into real products. We’re interested in your process, your individual contribution, the constraints you worked through, and the quality of the final result.

## What We Offer

Competitive Compensation – A salary package aligned with industry standards and your experience. Equity Opportunities – Take part in our success with stock options. Flexible Work Environment – Enjoy working from our office or in a hybrid work setup with the flexibility to work remotely part of the week. We require a minimum of 3 days per week in our office to support collaboration and team culture. (LA Office only) Unlimited PTO (Salaried positions only) – Take the time you need with our flexible, trust-based vacation policy, including paid holidays. We encourage everyone to rest, recharge, and take care of themselves. Health & Wellness – Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage with 100% of the premium paid by the employer for employees. Cutting-Edge Tools – Get access to the latest hardware and software you need to do your best work. Mission-Driven Culture – Be part of a team working on meaningful challenges with real-world impact. Inclusive Team – We foster a supportive and diverse workplace where all voices are valued.

Observable Space is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, genetic information, marital status, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

## About Observable Space

## Company Overview
- **One-liner**: Observable Space is a vertically-integrated space technology company building the infrastructure for satellites and spacecraft to see, navigate, and communicate through laser communications, ground-based optical sensing, and in-space payloads.
- **Entity Type**: Private (Series A)
- **Headquarters**: Los Angeles, California, United States
- **Founded**: 2025 (merger of OurSky and PlaneWave Instruments)
- **Founders**: Dan Roelker (Co-Founder & CEO), Connor Poole (Co-Founder & CTO), Rick Hedrick (Co-Founder & President)

## Core Business
- **Primary Industry**: Space Research and Technology, Defense & National Security
- **Target Customers**: B2B and B2G (Government) — including U.S. Space Force, NASA, commercial space companies, universities, and research institutions; also serves B2C advanced amateur astronomers
- **Mission Statement**: To provide the foundational elements every organization and individual needs to operate in space, from telescopes to software architecture.

## Products & Services
- **Turnkey Laser Communications Ground Stations**: High-throughput lasercom ground stations featuring integrated transmitters, large-aperture designs, and modular optics. Supports QPSK coherent and NRZ OOK incoherent optical links. SDA OCT 3.0+ compliant and 100G OpenZR+ ready. Used in NASA’s Artemis II mission and the TBIRD demo.
- **Space Domain Awareness (SDA) Platform (OS Platform)**: A globally distributed network of 40+ ground sites providing real-time observation, tracking, and analysis of objects in space (LEO, MEO, GEO, cis-lunar). Has executed 2.6 million automated tasks, identified 20 million+ targets, and completed 84,000 hours of continuous orbital monitoring.
- **Iguana In-Space Imager**: A 200mm, 3-aperture multi-spectral in-space imaging payload with onboard edge processing. Designed as a compact, off-the-shelf system with an 8-week lead time for on-orbit space domain awareness and rendezvous & proximity operations. First launch planned for 2026.
- **PlaneWave Telescopes (Consumer & Research)**: Software-defined telescopes including the Delta Rho 280 (Argus array design) and FSCT8 8-inch astrograph for astrophotography, photometric surveys, and SDA applications.
- **ATOMS (Advanced Telescope Optics Mobility System)**: Expeditionary, off-grid mobile optical sensing stations for rapid deployment by the U.S. Space Force under the APFIT program.

## Market Standing
- **Valuation**: Not disclosed
- **Total Funding**: $106M+ (Seed: $16M; Series A: $90M announced May 2026)
- **Key Metric**: $94 million sole-sourced IDIQ contract from U.S. Space Force (May 2026); $22M in initial task orders awarded
- **Notable Investors/Partners**: Lux Capital (Series A lead), Upfront Ventures (co-lead), Detroit Venture Partners, Island Green Capital, RTX Ventures, BRV Capital, Fathom Fund, Venrex, In-Q-Tel (IQT)
- **Growth Signals**: Headcount grew from ~38 to 175+ employees (May 2026); 158.8% YoY growth; expanding manufacturing in Detroit, Michigan; entering European markets via partnership with Baader Planetarium; launching first in-space payload (Iguana) in 2026; selected for U.S. Space Force APFIT Deployable Attritable Optical (DAO) program

## Competitive Advantages
- **Vertical Integration**: Full-stack ownership of hardware (telescopes, optics, ground stations) and software (developer platform, real-time data processing, edge compute) — rare in the space industry
- **Proven Government & NASA Track Record**: Sole-source Space Force IDIQ, NASA Artemis II & TBIRD missions, DARPA heritage
- **Global Infrastructure**: 40+ ground sites worldwide with sub-arcsec tracking precision; world’s largest telescope network
- **Manufacturing Scale**: 57-acre campus in Adrian, Michigan, with additional Detroit facilities for domestic production of critical national security technologies
- **Founding Team DNA**: CEO Dan Roelker is former SpaceX VP of Software Engineering (reported directly to Elon Musk); leadership hails from SpaceX, NASA JPL, DARPA, and leading tech companies

## Strategic Focus
- Scaling manufacturing capacity for lasercom ground stations and optical systems (Detroit and Michigan facilities)
- Launching first in-space optical payload (Iguana) in 2026
- Expanding international operations, especially in Europe via Baader Planetarium partnership
- Growing consumer telescope product line (Delta Rho 280, FSCT8)
- Deepening U.S. Space Force and defense relationships under the APFIT program
- Building out the OS Platform with additional 1–1.8 meter class telescopes globally

## Why Work Here
- **Culture & Team**: Founded by former SpaceX executives; team includes alumni from SpaceX, NASA JPL, DARPA, Riot Games, Salesforce, DoorDash, Dell, Disney — a blend of aerospace, tech, and gaming talent
- **Impact**: Work on cutting-edge space technology used by NASA, U.S. Space Force, and leading research institutions; directly contribute to national security and space exploration missions
- **Growth Trajectory**: Hypergrowth stage — 158.8% headcount growth YoY, fresh $90M Series A, major government contracts. Opportunity to shape a company in its early scaling phase
- **Locations**: HQ in Los Angeles, CA; manufacturing & optics campus in Adrian, MI; facilities in Detroit, MI; presence in Germany and Netherlands
- **Work Policy**: Not explicitly stated, but likely hybrid for engineering roles given manufacturing and lab requirements
- **Notable Perks**: Working with world-class optical systems and space hardware; involvement in historic NASA and Space Force missions; access to a 57-acre Michigan campus with deep manufacturing heritage

## Sources
1. [Observable Space - Homepage](https://observable.space/)
2. [Observable Space - Careers Page](https://jobs.ashbyhq.com/observable-space)
3. [Observable Space - LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/observable-space)
4. [Observable Space - Press Release: Series A & Space Force Contract (May 2026)](https://observable.space/news/observable-space-closes-90-million-series-a-to-scale-manufacturing-and-turnkey-lasercom-platform-announces-94-million-u-s-space-force-contract/)
5. [Observable Space - Press Release: Merger Announcement (Feb 2025)](https://observable.space/introducing-observable-space/)

## Other roles at Observable Space

- [Manufacturing Technician](https://feeny.ai/job/manufacturing-technician-observable-space-adrian-9mkxbv8s3t3b) — Adrian, MI
- [Business Operations Manager](https://feeny.ai/job/business-operations-manager-observable-space-los-angeles-qdhc6mb8d9ag) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Sr. Optomechanical Engineer, Laser Communications](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-optomechanical-engineer-laser-communications-observable-space-los-angeles-ca-z8mb29v58j2g) — Los Angeles CA OR Detroit, MI
- [Sr. Thermal Engineer (Space Payloads)](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-thermal-engineer-space-payloads-observable-space-los-angeles-xdggkpg0pr73) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Lead CNC Machinist - Precision Prototyping](https://feeny.ai/job/lead-cnc-machinist-precision-prototyping-observable-space-los-angeles-961v0sk7bx34) — Los Angeles, CA
- [CNC Machinist - Precision Prototyping](https://feeny.ai/job/cnc-machinist-precision-prototyping-observable-space-los-angeles-81q16jgjr2m7) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Operations Associate](https://feeny.ai/job/operations-associate-observable-space-los-angeles-nkc82a16qjs5) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Sr. Electrical Engineer, Photonics](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-electrical-engineer-photonics-observable-space-los-angeles-ca-or-detroit-2984v4jj5dsg) — Los Angeles CA OR Detroit, MI
- [Sr. Electrical Engineer, Avionics](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-electrical-engineer-avionics-observable-space-los-angeles-xjbf9qrtscts) — Los Angeles, CA
- [Sr. Electrical Engineer, Lasercom](https://feeny.ai/job/sr-electrical-engineer-lasercom-observable-space-los-angeles-cgvnhdt2tcv2) — Los Angeles, CA