As a Mechanical Engineer at Elroy Air, you will be responsible for owning the design, analysis, build, and test of the flight-critical mechanical systems that bring our autonomous cargo UAV to life. You will work on a range of mechanical and structural systems, driving mechanical design and decision making that enables aircraft testing and flight.
What you'll own:- Designing and developing vehicle subsystems, including primary and secondary structures, flight control surfaces and actuation systems, landing gear, and thermal management systems from architecture definition through integration
- Apply first-principles analysis, FEA, trade studies, and engineering best practices to ensure components and assemblies meet load, weight, and safety requirements for flight
- Define subsystem and component requirements compatible with safety, performance, and program objectives; manage functional and physical interfaces between subsystems and the vehicle
- Select materials appropriate for aerospace applications (aluminum alloys, titanium, composites) with consideration for weight, strength, fatigue, and manufacturability
- Apply DFM principles across fabrication methods including composites, sheet metal, machining, 3D printing, welding, and bonding to support efficient, producible designs
- Conduct environmental analysis and testing, including vibration, shock, thermal, and corrosion, and support design and build of test fixtures to verify subsystem performance and safety
- Select and manage suppliers and partners to ensure components are delivered within budget, schedule, and specification
- Prepare and present at gated design reviews to demonstrate design adequacy
Our ideal candidate:- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline; M.S. preferred
- 5+ years of hands-on experience as a professional mechanical engineer, directly related to vehicle subsystem design in the automotive, aeronautical, or space industries
- Proficiency with SolidWorks and/or CATIA, including PDM/PLM and data release processes
- Proficiency with MBD and GD&T (ASME Y14.5)
- Experience with FEA tools (NASTRAN, ANSYS, FEMAP, or similar) for structural and thermal analysis
- Strong grasp of materials selection for aerospace applications: aluminum alloys, titanium, composites, and their relevant specifications and failure modes
- Experience with vibration, shock, thermal, and corrosion environmental testing and analysis
- Fluency in first-principles, hand, and computer-aided analysis to guide and substantiate mechanical designs
- Working knowledge of aerospace production processes and DFM trade-offs across composites, sheet metal, machining, 3D printing, welding, and bonding
Bonus points for:- Experience with lift+cruise, tiltrotor, or other eVTOL platforms
- Prior design, fabrication, test, and operation of airworthy primary/secondary structures, flight control surface and actuation systems, rotors and propellers, payload handling systems, landing gear, or thermal management systems
- Experience developing components for weight-constrained applications
- Proficiency with FEMAP, NX Nastran, MATLAB, Mathcad, LabVIEW, and/or Python
- Working knowledge of FAA Part 21 type certification processes and Part 23/Part 27 airworthiness standards, including means and methods of compliance
What's in it for you:- Competitive pay + generous equity package
- Comprehensive options for medical, dental, vision, and life insurance
- Company-sponsored long and short term disability coverage
- Retirement planning: 401(k) with company contribution + Roth IRA
- 3 months of fully paid parental leave
- Highly flexible time off policy- that we actually want you to use!
- Employee Assistance Program with 24/7 support
- A kind, diverse, and highly skilled team
- Flexible work arrangements (we understand you have a personal life)
$120,000 - $222,000 a year
We encourage you to apply even if you aren't an exact match for our open role as many of our team members come from nontraditional backgrounds.
