Available for full-time roles and consulting · 2026
Selected Work
Optomechanical and precision mechanical design across observatories, flight hardware, defense manufacturing, and photonics. Public-safe details only; cleared photography and drawings can be added as the asset audit is completed.
Program experience
Client
NSF / National Solar Observatory
Role
Optomechanical design
Materials
Invar 36 · aluminum · optical glass
Manufacturing
CNC machining · bonding · alignment
Precision assemblies for observatory hardware where thermal behavior, stiffness, and optical alignment all matter.
Program experience
Client
ISS / NASA program work
Role
Mechanical design engineer
Materials
Titanium · aluminum · fastened assemblies
Manufacturing
FEA · drawing packages · vendor release
Mechanical packages built for constrained envelopes, documentation rigor, and hardware that has to survive the trip.
Program experience
Client
LSST / TMT / eLISA ecosystem
Role
Design and drafting
Materials
Tool steel · 6061-T6 · composites
Manufacturing
Fixture design · GD&T · assembly workflow
Fixtures and mechanisms that turn careful optomechanical intent into repeatable shop-floor reality.
Career
Senior mechanical design work with a bias toward optical alignment, manufacturable drawings, and mechanisms that have to perform outside normal lab conditions.
Writing
Essays and field notes live on Optomachina’s Substack while the portfolio stays focused on engineering work.
Contact
Blaine Wilson · Tucson, Arizona