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Caltech's Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (LIGO) seeks a highly motivated and skilled Mechanical Engineer to join its Cosmic Explorer Beamtube Experiment (CEBEX) team at the Richland, Washington observatory site. LIGO Laboratory is a major National Science Foundation facility dedicated to observing the newly discovered gravitational-wave universe. Jointly operated by the California Institute of Technology and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, LIGO operates the world's leading gravitational observatories near Richland, WA and Baton Rouge, LA, as well as campus R&D centers in Pasadena, CA and Cambridge, MA. To learn more about LIGO Laboratory, please visit LIGO.caltech.edu. The Laboratory's mission supports the young science of gravitational-wave physics and astronomy and includes observatory operations, analysis and dissemination of astrophysical observations, detector science and technology R&D, gravitational-wave astrophysics, and education and public outreach. LIGO now also leads the effort to expand humanity's gravitational wave horizon with a next-generation observatory, Cosmic Explorer (CE). Slated for construction in the 2030's, CE will be ten times the size and reach of LIGO, able to gather signals from the edge of the observable universe. The selected applicant will join an elite team charged with conceiving, designing, building, and testing advanced technology for the CE vacuum systems, destined to be the largest ultrahigh vacuum systems ever built. We will exercise and develop this technology in a new, purpose-built UHV research facility, the Cosmic Explorer Beamtube Experiment (CEBEX) Laboratory, located at LIGO Hanford. Job Summary LIGO's Washington and Louisiana installations occupy 4 km scale, 10 million-liter ultrahigh-vacuum systems operating at one trillionth of atmospheric pressure (10-9 millibar), making them the two largest contiguous UHV volumes ever constructed. The planned Cosmic Explorer observatory will require laser beamtubes 10x longer, up to 40 km in length. This will multiply CE's detectable gravitational wave source range by ten, multiplying the accessible volume of the universe by 1,000x. However, vacuum structures of this size and volume have never been attempted. As a key member of the CEBEX team, the selectee will perform modeling, design, fabrication, installation, commissioning and characterization of engineering prototypes and technology demonstrators for planned CE beamtubes up to 40 km in length. Tests will include industrial fabrication and structural, vacuum, and thermal qualification of a planned 1.2-meter diameter, 120-meter-long demonstration tube, to be erected in the new purpose-built CEBEX laboratory at LHO. In parallel, the chosen candidate will assist in forging results of this R&D into a conceptual reference design, construction plan, and parametric cost estimate for CE. These will form the core of our future CE Observatory construction proposal. This position is a fulltime in-person role located at LIGO Hanford in Richland, WA. This is an Essential Reporting position. In the event of an emergency on campus, an employee designated as essential reporting has essential job skills that are needed for response and recovery and is expected to report to Campus as soon as possible. Essential Job Duties Perform mechanical design, static and dynamic analysis, manufacturing and fabrication surveys, cost optimization, and industrial implementation of chamber and vessel structures, supports, and anchors for vacuum, mechanical, and thermal performance testing. Propose and evaluate innovative or unconventional design, fabrication, and service lifecycle solutions to take advantage of the newest technology developments. Perform and document design trade studies to establish design requirements and concepts. Develop and implement computer models and simulati