Junior Mechanical Engineer: Drones & Payload Hardware

PDW; Huntsville (AL); On-site; USD 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

BCBS medical

401(K) with match

Parental Leave

On-site gym (Huntsville, AL)

Life insurance

EAP

Competitive salary + PTO

Job summary

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is seeking a Junior Mechanical Engineer to help develop drones, payloads, and supporting hardware from concept through production. This role targets recent graduates or early-career engineers who will work under guidance and review from senior engineers, spending time in CAD, building hardware, and testing with manufacturing teams.

You will gain hands-on experience in 3D CAD modeling, fabrication methods, and design documentation while contributing to a fast-paced,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or closely related technical field.
• 0–2 years of professional experience in mechanical or electromechanical product development; co-op or internship valued.
• Proficiency in 3D CAD modeling using SolidWorks or similar software.
• Working knowledge of engineering drawings, mechanical design fundamentals, and common manufacturing processes.
• Hands‑on ability to build, inspect, test, and troubleshoot mechanical hardware.
• Ability to complete defined tasks with guidance and communicate technical work clearly.
• Strong problem-solving skills and ability to work across engineering and manufacturing teams.
• Must be able to obtain and maintain a U.S. Security Clearance.

Responsibilities

• Design mechanical components and simple assemblies for drones, payloads, and supporting systems with guidance.
• Create and revise 3D CAD models, drawings, BOMs, and design documentation.
• Create and compare design concepts, perform calculations, communicate tradeoffs.
• Build, assemble, and troubleshoot prototypes using 3D printing and machining.
• Execute test plans, analyze results, and document design improvements.
• Design test fixtures, jigs, and tooling for engineering and manufacturing use.
• Apply DFM and tolerance-analysis with senior review.
• Collaborate with electrical, software, manufacturing, and quality teams to transition products into production.

Skills

3D CAD modeling

Engineering drawings

DFM/DFA

Prototype testing

Cross-functional collaboration

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

Job description

Performance Drone Works (PDW) is seeking a Junior Mechanical Engineer to help develop drones, payloads, and supporting hardware from concept through production. This role targets recent graduates or early-career engineers who will work under guidance and review from senior engineers, spending time in CAD, building hardware, and testing with manufacturing teams.

You will gain hands-on experience in 3D CAD modeling, fabrication methods, and design documentation while contributing to a fast-paced,