Aero-Mechanical Systems Architect — UAS Program Lead

Redwire; San Luis Obispo (CA); On-site; USD 189,000 - 226,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Matching 401(k)

Paid PTO

Paid holidays

Medical, vision, and dental insurance

Group Short-Term & Long-Term Disable

HSA and FSA Options

Critical Care Plan

Accident Care Plan

Employee Stock Purchasing Program (ESP

Job summary

Redwire Defense Tech is seeking a Senior Staff Aero-Mechanical Engineer to provide advanced technical leadership across multiple UAS programs. You will set direction for complex mechanical and structural design, ensure alignment with manufacturing scalability, and lead senior-level reviews across teams.

You will mentor other Staff/Senior Engineers, define engineering standards, and advise leadership on long-term capability investments.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Aerospace Engineering or related field.
• 10–15 years of aerospace mechanical design and integration experience, preferably in UAS or defense.
• Ownership of system-level architectures or platform-scale integration.
• Proven leadership of technical teams through design, verification, and production readiness.
• CAD design experience with large assemblies; configuration control.
• Advanced knowledge of FEA, thermal and vibration analysis, and composite design optimization.
• Understanding of manufacturing methods, tooling, and supply chain integration.
• Strong communication skills for executive audiences.

Responsibilities

• Lead system-level mechanical architecture and integration across vehicle programs.
• Define and validate structures using simulation, testing, and analysis.
• Drive major design reviews (CoDR, PDR, CDR, TRR) and ensure action closure.
• Establish mechanical design standards and documentation templates.
• Guide failure investigations and implement corrective actions.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, supply chain, and quality for scalable designs.
• Evaluate materials, processes, and vendors for flight hardware.
• Support IRAD and R&D to mature future platforms.

Skills

System-level architecture

Technical leadership

UAS/defense domain knowledge

Mentorship

Cross-functional collaboration

Engineering standards

PDR/CDR knowledge

Communication with executives

Manufacturing/SCM collaboration

Risk assessment

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Electrical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering

Related field required

Tools

SolidWorks

FEA software

PDM/PLM governance

Job description

Redwire Defense Tech is seeking a Senior Staff Aero-Mechanical Engineer to provide advanced technical leadership across multiple UAS programs. You will set direction for complex mechanical and structural design, ensure alignment with manufacturing scalability, and lead senior-level reviews across teams.

You will mentor other Staff/Senior Engineers, define engineering standards, and advise leadership on long-term capability investments.