Senior Drone Systems Engineer (UAS)

Flightwave Inc.; Torrance (CA); On-site; USD 181,000 - 283,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity

Performance bonus

Job summary

RedCat Aerial, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer in Torrance, CA to design, prototype, test, and integrate mechanical systems into flight hardware and ground control systems for UAS drones.

You will lead heavy mechanical projects, drive system-level architecture, and work with vendors to scale production, including DFMEA, NPI, and tooling development, while flying and building drones yourself.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a closely related field.
• 10+ years of industry experience in a design-focused engineering role.
• Demonstrated team or project leadership from cradle to grave.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and collaboration ability.
• Hands-on experience with SolidWorks or comparable CAD (NX, Creo, AutoCAD).
• Ability to drive system-level architecture decisions and full lifecycle product development.
• Experience with FEA analysis (modal, thermal, aerodynamic).
• Experience designing for high-rate production, rapid prototyping, and NPI.

Responsibilities

• Be the technical authority for mechanical and system-level changes.
• Lead mechanical heavy projects and consult on new ideas and products.
• Design electro-mechanical systems for UAS in SolidWorks with precision.
• Prototype, validate, and prepare designs for scalable manufacturing through DFMEA, NPI and Sustaining processes.
• Develop and build tools, fixtures, and automation jigs for manufacturing.
• Identify and qualify new vendors and manufacturing partners.
• Draft assembly, inspection and test procedures, reports and product requirements docs.
• Get hands on with the NPI process, including building hardware systems yourself.
• Fly, design, and build drones.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Teamwork

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

NX

Creo

AutoCAD

Job description

RedCat Aerial, a subsidiary of Red Cat Holdings, seeks a Principal Mechanical Engineer in Torrance, CA to design, prototype, test, and integrate mechanical systems into flight hardware and ground control systems for UAS drones.

You will lead heavy mechanical projects, drive system-level architecture, and work with vendors to scale production, including DFMEA, NPI, and tooling development, while flying and building drones yourself.