Senior Mechanical Engineer

Red Cat Holdings; Salt Lake City (UT); On-site; USD 110,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Red Cat Holdings is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead the design, analysis, and development of complex mechanical systems from concept to production release. You will guide detailed mechanical design, perform advanced analyses, and ensure performance, reliability, and manufacturability.

Collaboration with Electrical, Software, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain is essential. The role requires hands-on design with deep analytical capability in structural FEA, vibration and modal

Qualifications

• 10+ years of mechanical engineering experience in design and analysis.
• BS or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering.
• Proven expertise in structural FEA, vibration, and heat transfer.
• Experience in injection-molded plastic components and high-volume production.
• Strong collaboration with cross-functional teams.

Responsibilities

• Own the mechanical design and detailed implementation from concept through sustaining.
• Develop and maintain mechanical architectures, layouts, and detailed component designs.
• Perform advanced structural analysis (FEA) to validate strength, stiffness, fatigue, and durability requirements.
• Conduct vibration and modal analysis to evaluate dynamic response, resonance, and environmental loading.
• Perform thermal and heat transfer analysis to ensure safe and reliable operation.
• Translate high-level product requirements into clear, traceable mechanical requirements and design solutions.
• Lead design trade studies to down-select materials, architectures, and manufacturing processes.
• Design for injection molding, including part geometry, draft, gating considerations, tolerances, and material selection.
• Apply DFM/DFA and DFT best practices to optimize cost, quality, and manufacturability.
• Create and maintain accurate CAD models, drawings, and GD&T using SolidWorks or equivalent CAD tools.
• Support prototype builds, testing, and design iteration based on verification and validation results.
• Collaborate with suppliers and contract manufacturers to review designs, tooling, and production readiness.
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective actions for test, quality, or manufacturing issues.
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance on best design and analysis practices.
• Maintain mechanical documentation and bills of materials (BOMs) within the PLM system throughout the product lifecycle.

Skills

Structural FEA

Vibration analysis

Modal analysis

Heat transfer

Injection molding design

SolidWorks

Education

BS or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Tools

PDM

PLM systems

Job description

Overview

The Senior Mechanical Engineer is responsible for the design, analysis, and development of complex mechanical systems from concept through production release. In this role, you will lead the detailed mechanical design of products and subsystems, perform advanced engineering analyses, and ensure designs meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including Electrical, Software, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to deliver robust, production-ready solutions.

Overview

The Senior Mechanical Engineer is responsible for the design, analysis, and development of complex mechanical systems from concept through production release. In this role, you will lead the detailed mechanical design of products and subsystems, perform advanced engineering analyses, and ensure designs meet performance, reliability, and manufacturability requirements. You will work closely with cross-functional teams including Electrical, Software, Manufacturing, Quality, and Supply Chain to deliver robust, production-ready solutions.

This position requires strong hands-on design experience combined with deep analytical capability in structural FEA, vibration and modal analysis, and heat transfer, as well as practical expertise in injection-molded plastic design and production manufacturing processes.

Experience: 10+ years

Education: BS or MS in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering

Key Duties

• Own the mechanical design and detailed implementation of product subsystems from concept through sustaining
• Develop and maintain mechanical system architectures, layouts, and detailed component designs
• Perform advanced structural analysis (FEA) to validate strength, stiffness, fatigue, and durability requirements
• Conduct vibration and modal analysis to evaluate dynamic response, resonance, and environmental loading
• Perform thermal and heat transfer analysis to ensure safe and reliable operation under all operating conditions
• Translate high-level product requirements into clear, traceable mechanical requirements and design solutions
• Lead design trade studies to down-select materials, architectures, and manufacturing processes
• Design for injection molding, including part geometry, draft, gating considerations, tolerances, and material selection
• Apply DFM/DFA and DFT best practices to optimize cost, quality, and manufacturability
• Create and maintain accurate CAD models, drawings, and GD&T using SolidWorks or equivalent CAD tools
• Support prototype builds, testing, and design iteration based on verification and validation results
• Collaborate with suppliers and contract manufacturers to review designs, tooling, and production readiness
• Support root-cause analysis and corrective actions for test, quality, or manufacturing issues
• Mentor junior engineers and provide technical guidance on best design and analysis practices
• Maintain mechanical documentation and bills of materials (BOMs) within the PLM system throughout the product lifecycle

Key Background Knowledge

• Strong experience in mechanical system and component design for complex products
• Demonstrated expertise in structural FEA, vibration analysis, and modal testing correlation
• Solid understanding of heat transfer and thermal management in electromechanical systems
• Proven experience designing injection-molded plastic components for high-volume production
• Experience with metals, plastics, fasteners, adhesives, and surface treatments
• Proficiency in SolidWorks, PDM, and PLM systems
• Experience working with test teams to correlate analysis results with physical testing
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across cross-functional teams and influence technical decisions
• Strong documentation, communication, and technical leadership skills
• Proficient understanding of engineering principles, best practices, and design processes
• Experience supporting products through production ramp and sustaining engineering

Preferred Qualifications

• Familiarity with supplier tooling reviews and injection mold qualification
• Previous experience with avionics or UAVs
• Experience with propulsion systems (propeller design and motor selection)

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.