Understand what the ads ask for and how to stand out.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 09/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lightmatter has 14 open mechanical / manufacturing engineer jobs in 2 states, 3 of them posted in the last 7 days.
| Title ⇅ | Open jobs ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Sr/Staff Digital Design Engineer | 2 |
| Sr. Staff Physical Design Engineer | 2 |
| Photonics Characterization Intern- Winter 2026 | 1 |
| Staff Electrical Design Engineer | 1 |
| Staff Photonics Design & PDK Modeling Engineer | 1 |
| Staff/Sr Staff Electro-Optic Link Codesign Engineer | 1 |
| Sr. Staff Thermo-Mechanical Engineer | 1 |
| Staff Photonics Design and Layout Engineer | 1 |
| Photonics Hardware Validation Engineer | 1 |
| Mechanical Design Engineer | 1 |
| Photonics Systems Circuit Design Engineer | 1 |
| Analog IC Design Engineer | 1 |
Most of these ads do not state a level.
14 of 14 listings publish a range. The median range is $177,000 – $244,000 a year (the employer's own figures)
0 of 14 ads mention a remote or flexible location.
Everything about working at Lightmatter →All 14 jobs with filters →
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Open jobs ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boston | Massachusetts | 7 | 50% |
| Mountain View | California | 7 | 50% |
We counted how often Lightmatter's own 14 ads (those with a full description) state each requirement. This shows the filters the ads apply before anyone reads a resume. We have no data on why candidates are rejected after applying, and we do not guess.
Years of experience. 11 of 14 ads (79%) state a number of years. The median is 5 years; 82% ask for 5 or more and 27% for 10 or more.
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| PhD or doctorate | 8 | 57% |
| Bachelor's degree | 6 | 43% |
| Master's degree | 6 | 43% |
| 'or equivalent experience' accepted | 5 | 36% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| U.S. person / export-control (ITAR, EAR) rules | 14 | 100% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Nights, weekends, holidays or on-call | 14 | 100% |
| Requirement ⇅ | Ads that state it ⇅ | Share of ads ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| python | 10 | 71% |
| matlab | 2 | 14% |
| react | 2 | 14% |
| solidworks | 2 | 14% |
| cad | 2 | 14% |
| machine learning | 1 | 7% |
| autocad | 1 | 7% |
First, cover the basics the ads ask for most (see the requirements above: python (71%), matlab (14%), react (14%), solidworks (14%)). Then look at what separates higher-paid ads:
Among the 14 ads that publish a pay range, we compared the median pay of ads that name each item with ads that do not. This is a correlation in the ads, not a promise: an item can pay more because it comes with senior roles.
| Item named in the ad ⇅ | Ads naming it ⇅ | Ads not naming it ⇅ | Median pay midpoint with it ⇅ | Difference vs ads without it ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree | 6 | 8 | $218,000 | +$13,000 |
| 'or equivalent experience' accepted | 5 | 9 | $206,500 | +$1,500 |
| Master's degree | 6 | 8 | $202,500 | -$6,000 |
| PhD or doctorate | 8 | 6 | $206,500 | -$11,500 |
We describe only what the ads state. We do not know how recruiters rank candidates.
Where else the same role family is open, with the pay each posts:
| Employer ⇅ | Open mechanical / manufacturing engineer jobs ⇅ | Posted range (median, yearly) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| SpaceX | 405 | not published |
| Apple | 206 | not published |
| Rocket Lab Corporation | 86 | $100,800 – $161,000 |
| Shield AI | 85 | $142,000 – $220,000 |
| Leidos | 47 | not published |
| Vast | 43 | $112,340 – $195,552 |
| Saronic | 36 | not published |
| Esri | 29 | $79,664 – $133,120 |
| Hermeus | 25 | $91,800 – $140,250 |
| Lucid Motors | 24 | $121,900 – $167,640 |
| Divergent | 24 | $111,300 – $204,090 |
| Kairos Power | 20 | not published |
| Muon Space | 19 | not published |
| Flex | 19 | not published |
| Jabil | 18 | not published |
14 open today, 3 posted in the last 7 days.
Mostly in Boston, MA (7), Mountain View, CA (7).