Mechanical Engineering Lead - Drones

EV.Careers; United States; On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company contributions

Paid healthcare including telehealth &

Relocation support

Job summary

EV.Careers seeks a Development Engineering Lead for a partner building autonomous industrial drones. You will lead a cross-disciplinary team, owning drone platforms end-to-end from concept to production.

The role emphasizes high ownership, rapid growth, and a clear path to lead R&D as the organization scales. Requires hands-on hardware experience and leadership in a fast-paced environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics, or related field.
• 7+ years engineering experience, including 2+ years leading engineers.

Responsibilities

• Lead development of drone platforms through full product lifecycle: concept, prototyping, testing, qualification, production.
• Own mechanical design of components and assemblies; integrate with electronics, sensors, actuators, wiring.
• Mentor a small team across mechanical, electrical, software, and systems disciplines.
• Improve engineering processes: version control, documentation, design standards, ECR workflows.
• Partner with manufacturing and supply chain to drive DFM and DFT.
• Create CAD models, drawings, and manufacturing docs; support reviews, risk assessments, root-cause work.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Mechanical design

CAD software

Education

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical/Mechatronics

Tools

SolidWorks

Creo/Fusion 360

Job description

EV.Careers is currently seeking a full-time, direct-hire Development Engineering Lead for one of our partners that is building a new generation of autonomous industrial drones, robots that take on the dull, dangerous, and dirty work at height so people can stay safely on the ground. In this position, you will lead a small, cross-disciplinary engineering team and own drone platforms end to end, from back-of-the-napkin concept through prototyping, testing, and full production. This is a high-ownership builder role at a fast-growing company, with a clear path to lead R&D as the organization scales.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development of drone platforms through the full product lifecycle: concept, prototyping, testing, qualification, and transition to production.
• Own the mechanical design of components and assemblies, and integrate those designs with electronics, sensors, actuators, and wiring.
• Manage and mentor a small team of engineers across mechanical, electrical, software, and systems disciplines.
• Stand up and improve engineering processes: version control, documentation, design standards, and engineering-change workflows.
• Partner with manufacturing and supply chain to drive design for manufacturing (DFM) and design for testability (DFT).
• Create detailed CAD models, drawings, and manufacturing documentation, and support technical reviews, risk assessments, and root-cause work.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Mechatronics Engineering, or a related field.
• 7+ years of engineering experience, including 2+ years leading or managing engineers.
• Demonstrated experience taking at least one hardware product from prototype all the way to production.
• Experience designing mechanical systems for robotics or electromechanical products.
• Proficiency in CAD (SolidWorks, Creo, Fusion 360, or similar) and a strong grasp of DFM / DFA and common fabrication methods (machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, plastics, carbon fiber).
• US citizenship (required for the company’s government-related work).

Preferred Qualifications

• Hands-on experience building, modifying, or integrating drones or aerial robotics systems.
• Comfort integrating electronics into mechanical designs (sensors, actuators, PCBs, wiring) and supporting electronics bring-up and troubleshooting.
• Experience working with contract manufacturers and moving prototypes into production.
• Familiarity with FAA, CE, or other UAV regulatory standards (FAA Part 107 can be obtained after hire).

Benefits

• High ownership and autonomy in a fast-paced environment, with the chance to design, build, and ship real robotics hardware.
• Exposure to the full hardware development lifecycle and a path to lead R&D as the team grows.
• Competitive compensation, 401(k) with company contributions, and paid healthcare including telehealth and counseling.
• On-site role in the Southeast U.S.; relocation support available for the right candidate.