Mechanical Engineer I

AeroVironment, Inc.; Virginia Colony (CA); On-site; USD 67,000 - 102,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

401K with company match

9/80 work schedule

Paid holiday shutdown

Job summary

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Mechanical Engineer I to join our design team focused on UAV systems. You will contribute to all phases of mechanical design from concept to detailed engineering, including building and testing hardware for next-gen aerospace platforms.

The role emphasizes hands-on prototyping, thermo-mechanical analysis, manufacturing drawings, and collaboration across engineering disciplines to meet flight-system requirements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical or aerospace engineering or equivalent
• 0–2 years of experience in designing complex mechanical systems with hardware handoff
• Experience designing machined, composite, plastic injection molded, sheet metal parts, wire assemblies, and assemblies
• Hands-on building/prototyping experience with lightweight miniature robotic systems or similar
• Experience designing electro-mechanical systems with thermodynamic constraints
• Proficiency with mechanical engineering processes, design and analysis tools
• Experience creating ASME Y14.100/ Y14.5 drawings and related standards
• SolidWorks proficiency and basic office software skills

Responsibilities

• Design structural components and electro-mechanical systems
• Design payload and ground equipment mechanical components
• Develop tooling, fixtures, and prototype hardware
• Perform thermal analysis and support testing and validation
• Create manufacturing drawings and BOMs per industry standards
• Support design reviews and project planning/scheduling
• Assist manufacturing and suppliers with component production
• Utilize CAD/CAE tools (SolidWorks, SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS) and rapid prototyping

Skills

CAD design

SolidWorks

Electro-mechanical

Prototype hardware

ASME drawings

Thermal analysis

Team collaboration

Technical documentation

Education

Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

ANSYS

EPDM

Job description

Summary

Worker Type Regular Job Description Summary The Mechanical Engineer I is part of a design team focused on the development of the next generation UAV systems and their subsystems. This will include all levels and facets of design from conceptual clear through the detailed design and will include building and testing of these systems.

Position Responsibilities

• Design structural components
• electro-mechanical design
• payload mechanical design
• ground equipment mechanical design
• launching systems
• flight control actuators integration
• thermal analysis
• prototype hardware development
• tooling & fixtures design
• Design work shall be accomplished using CAD tools (SolidWorks), simulation tools (SolidWorks Simulation, ANSYS), and rapid prototyping techniques (3D printing, etc.)
• Developing manufacturing drawings and bills of materials for components and assemblies using industry drafting standards
• Supporting design reviews
• Assisting project managers with the planning and scheduling of engineering work
• Supporting manufacturing & suppliers with the production of components & assemblies
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering is required or equivalent combination of education, training, and experience
• 0-2 years of experience designing complex mechanical systems with demonstrated transition to hardware
• Experience in designing the following types of parts: machined parts, simple composite parts, plastic injection molded parts, sheet metal parts, wire assemblies, mechanical assemblies
• Hands-on building/prototyping experience as it pertains to lightweight miniature robotic systems or similar
• Experience designing electro-mechanical systems with thermodynamic constraints
• Demonstrated competence in mechanical engineering process and design/analysis tools
• Proven experience in creating engineering drawings in compliance with ASME Y14.100 Engineering Drawing Practices, Y14.5 Dimensioning and Tolerancing, and other applicable ASME Y14 series standards.
• Proficient at SolidWorks as well as office software such as MS Office

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Experience with Solidworks EPDM is preferred
• Experience in designing tooling or test equipment is preferred
• Demonstrates competency in solving basic structural dynamics problems
• Demonstrates understanding of engineering configuration management processes and material properties
• Demonstrates understanding of environmental testing, including shock and vibration
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
• Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others, and the company
• Focuses on teamwork and puts the success of the team above one's own interests

Physical Demands

Ability to work in an office and production environment (Constant). Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent).

Clearance Level

No Clearance

Salary

The salary range for this role is: $66,500 - $101,500.

ITAR Requirement

ITAR Requirement: This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations ITAR and/or the Export Administration Regulations EAR. In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment's determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment's business requirements. A U.S. person according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements. ITAR U.S. Citizenship required. Must be willing to work on government contracts and have the ability to obtain a security clearance.

Benefits

AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown.

For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits. We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

About AV

AV isn't for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best. We don't just build defense technology—we redefine what's possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve. Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian but we’re not building history, we’re building what's next. If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there's no better place to do it than AV.

EEO/AA Equal Opportunity

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans.

AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants.

Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR U.S. Citizenship required

ITAR U.S. Citizenship required.