Director of Mechanical Engineering

Fruition Group US; California (MO); On-site; USD 190,000 - 230,000; Full time

Job summary

Fruition Group US is seeking a Director of Mechanical Engineering to lead a multidisciplinary team focused on next-generation aerospace systems, including airframes and propulsion interfaces.

You will own the full mechanical development lifecycle from concept to flight test, drive architecture, design-for-manufacturing, and certification campaigns in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• 10+ years of mechanical or aerospace system development experience.
• 5+ years of engineering leadership and managing technical teams.
• Experience with aircraft integration, prototyping, and test campaigns.
• Familiarity with FAA/EASA certification processes.
• Strong CAD experience with large assemblies.
• Background in eVTOL or advanced aerospace systems.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and grow a mechanical engineering team focused on AAM vehicle structures and systems.
• Define and execute the mechanical architecture strategy for airframes and related systems.
• Own end-to-end mechanical development from concept through flight test.
• Ensure designs meet safety, performance, weight, cost, reliability, and manufacturability targets.
• Partner with systems engineering for vehicle-level integration and requirements compliance.
• Provide technical leadership across structural design, mechanisms, thermal systems, and integration.
• Lead design reviews and design-for-certification / design-for-manufacturing decisions.
• Establish engineering standards and development processes aligned with certification requirements.
• Collaborate with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure producibility.
• Support prototype builds, ground testing, flight testing, and certification activities.
• Define and maintain long-term mechanical/structural technology roadmaps.
• Represent mechanical engineering in technical reviews with stakeholders and authorities.

Skills

Leadership

CAD

System design

Aerospace engineering

Team management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

CAD software

Job description

Director of Mechanical Engineering - Aerospace

We are seeking an experienced Director of Mechanical Engineering to lead and scale a multidisciplinary mechanical engineering organization responsible for the development of next-generation aircraft systems.

About the Role

In this role, you will define the technical vision and execution strategy for mechanical systems across Advanced Air Mobility platforms, including vehicle structures, airframes, propulsion integration structures, thermal systems, and electromechanical subsystems.

You will own the mechanical development lifecycle from early concept through detailed design, analysis, manufacturing, integration, and test. This role requires balancing innovation with certification readiness, manufacturability, safety, and performance in a highly regulated aerospace environment.

You will collaborate closely with systems engineering, flight sciences, propulsion, electrical engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, and certification teams to deliver safe, scalable, and certifiable aircraft. You will also play a key role in shaping engineering culture, building development processes, and enabling high-rate production of advanced air mobility vehicles.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and grow a mechanical engineering team developing AAM vehicle structures and mechanical systems
• Define and execute the mechanical architecture strategy for airframe, structural, thermal, and electromechanical systems
• Own end-to-end mechanical development from concept design through detailed design, analysis, manufacturing, integration, and flight test
• Ensure designs meet requirements for safety, performance, weight, cost, reliability, and manufacturability at scale
• Partner with systems engineering and cross-functional teams to ensure vehicle-level integration and requirements compliance
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship across structural design, mechanisms, thermal systems, and integration
• Lead design reviews, configuration control processes, and design-for-certification / design-for-manufacturing decisions
• Establish engineering standards, best practices, and disciplined development processes aligned with aerospace certification requirements
• Collaborate closely with manufacturing and supply chain to ensure producibility and scalable assembly processes
• Support prototype builds, ground testing, flight testing, and certification activities
• Define and maintain long-term mechanical and structural technology roadmaps for AAM platforms
• Represent mechanical engineering in technical reviews with internal stakeholders, partners, and certification authorities

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
• 10+ years of industry experience in mechanical or aerospace system development
• 5+ years of engineering leadership experience managing and developing technical teams
• Proven ownership of complex mechanical/structural systems through design, build, and test (aircraft experience strongly preferred)
• Strong CAD experience managing large assemblies and complex mechanical systems
• Deep understanding of structural design, fatigue and damage tolerance, GD&T, thermal systems, and DFM/DFA principles
• Experience with aircraft integration, prototyping, and test campaigns
• Familiarity with certification processes (e.g., FAA or EASA) and safety-critical design practices
• Experience with configuration management and engineering change control systems
• Background in eVTOL, rotorcraft, fixed-wing aircraft, or other advanced aerospace systems preferred
• Experience working in fast-paced development environments and transitioning hardware from prototype to production

Note: eligible for US Citizen or Green card holder only