Junior Engineer (Electrical or Mechanical)

Intrepid Prosperity; Tampa (FL); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental, vision benefits

PTO 10 days year 1, 15 days after

Paid holidays (8)

Parental leave

Military leave

401(k) with company match up to 3%

Travel and flight-test expense reimb.

Company laptop and tools

Job summary

Intrepid Prosperity is building a new Tampa-area facility to hire junior UAV engineers. You will work alongside senior engineers, integrate payloads on aircraft, assemble hardware, and support flight tests from day one. Roles welcome recent grads with electrical, mechanical, or aerospace focus and a readiness to travel for test events.

You will collaborate across engineering, production and supply chain, maintain logs, and help document changes as you grow in the role.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's in Electrical, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering or related discipline.
• 0–2 years experience; internships/co-ops count.
• Hands-on aptitude with building/fabrication.
• Familiarity with CAD or ECAD tools.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills; eager to learn.
• Willingness to travel to flight-test site ~45 minutes south of Tampa; long days possible.
• Must be a U.S. Person under ITAR/EAR.

Responsibilities

• Physically integrate payloads, sensors, avionics and components on UAVs under guidance.
• Build/modify hardware, including wiring, soldering, mounts and 3D-printed parts.
• Maintain integration records and configuration data.
• Support CAD models or schematics development and documentation.
• Assist with BOMs and engineering change processes.
• Support bench, ground and environmental tests and record data.
• Prepare aircraft and equipment for flight tests on site.
• Troubleshoot issues and participate in root-cause investigations.
• Collaborate with engineering, production and supply chain; grow with the team.

Skills

Hands-on aptitude

Problem solving

Communication skills

Willingness to travel

U.S. Person ITAR compliance

Education

Bachelor's degree in Electrical/Mechanical/Aerospace Engineering

Tools

Onshape CAD

SolidWorks or similar

ECAD tools (Altium, KiCad)

Job description

Intrepid Prosperity is hiring two Junior Engineers for a fast-growing developer and manufacturer of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) supporting the U.S. Department of War and allied customers. Following significant recent contract awards, the company is standing up a new facility in the Tampa, Florida area for supply chain and component logistics, flight-test preparation, and low-rate and R&D integration. Joining now means helping to build the site, and its team, from the ground up.

The role

These roles suit recent university or college graduates who want to build a career in UAV engineering. Working alongside senior engineers, you will be hands-on from day one: physically integrating payloads and components on UAVs, building and testing hardware, and supporting flight tests. Candidates with either an electrical or a mechanical focus are welcome; your work will lean toward your discipline, with broad exposure across the whole aircraft.

What you will do

• Physically integrate payloads, sensors, avionics and components on UAVs under the guidance of senior engineers.
• Build and modify hardware, including wiring harnesses, soldering, mounts and brackets, and 3D-printed parts.
• Keep accurate integration records, build logs and configuration data.
• Support design work in your discipline: CAD models and drawings in Onshape (mechanical) or schematics and wiring diagrams (electrical).
• Help with component selection, BOMs and engineering change documentation.
• Support bench, ground and environmental testing, and record and review test data.
• Prepare aircraft and equipment for flight test and support test events on site.
• Help troubleshoot issues and contribute to root-cause investigations.
• Work closely with engineering, production and supply chain teams, and take on more ownership as you develop.

Required qualifications

• Bachelor's degree (completed, or completing before the start date) in Electrical, Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 0 to 2 years of professional experience; internships, co-ops and academic projects all count.
• Hands-on aptitude, such as building, soldering, fabrication or similar.
• Familiarity with CAD (Onshape preferred; SolidWorks or similar considered) or ECAD (for example Altium or KiCad) tools.
• Strong problem-solving and communication skills and an eagerness to learn.
• Willingness to travel to the flight-test site, about 45 minutes south of Tampa, including occasional early starts and long days.
• Must be a U.S. Person under ITAR/EAR (U.S. citizen, U.S. national, lawful permanent resident, or person granted asylum or refugee status).

Preferred qualifications

• Personal drone or RC aircraft builds.
• Python or MATLAB.
• Eligibility to obtain a U.S. security clearance.

Location, hours and travel

On site at the company's Tampa, Florida area facility, Monday to Friday within core hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with reasonable additional hours during test events and field deployments. Engineering staff regularly support flight-test events at a test site about 45 minutes south of Tampa; test days may involve early starts, outdoor work in varying weather and occasional extended days.

Compensation and benefits

• Highly competitive base salary depending on experience, with eligibility for a discretionary bonus after a 90-day review.
• Medical, dental and vision from day one; the company covers 80% of the baseline plan cost for employees and eligible dependents.
• 10 days PTO in year one and 15 days from year two, plus eight paid holidays.
• Paid parental leave and paid military leave for Guard and Reserve service.
• 401(k) planned, with a company match of up to 3%.
• Reimbursement of pre-approved travel and flight-test expenses; company laptop and tools.

Conditions of employment

This role involves access to export-controlled (ITAR/EAR) items and technical data. Offers are contingent on reference and background checks. Candidates must be free to accept employment without breaching any prior agreement, and will sign the company's confidentiality, intellectual property and restrictive covenants agreement. The role involves lifting UAV components and equipment up to 50 lbs and working outdoors at the flight-test site; reasonable accommodations are available.

The hiring company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Employment is at-will.