Senior Mechanical Engineer - Aerospace Packaging

AV; Petaluma (CA); On-site; USD 122,500 - 187,000; 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 Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical design, analysis and packaging for high‑altitude aerospace electronics.

You will drive development for production rotating electrical machines, manage sub‑contractors, and ensure robust performance under extreme environmental conditions. The role requires deep expertise in SolidWorks, ANSYS, and thermal management, with hands‑on testing in lab and field.

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of mechanical engineering experience, production rotating electrical machines and aerospace packaging experience.
• Familiar with MIL-STD 961D or equivalent.
• Proficient with CAD/CAE tools: SolidWorks for modeling; ANSYS for structural and fatigue; ANSYS IcePack for thermal analysis.
• Extensive experience designing electrical rotating machines for high‑performance applications.
• Experience with thermal management, bonding techniques for extreme environments, and materials properties.
• Experience creating and maintaining product BOMs and document trees.
• Experience with test and measurement techniques such as torque transducer calibration.

Responsibilities

• Lead or support thermal, structural, dynamic, and fluid flow analyses for electronics equipment.
• Lead testing and data collection in lab and field.
• Model mechanical devices and select materials.
• Perform stress, fatigue, and thermal analyses; select bonding materials.
• Develop mechanical drawings and tolerance specs; create assembly instructions and test procedures.
• Develop test plans to verify designs and manage complex issues with deep technical knowledge.
• Coordinate team activities and resources to meet milestones; supervise others as needed.

Skills

Mechanical engineering

Project leadership

Education

MS preferred

Tools

SolidWorks

ANSYS

ANSYS Icepack

Job description

AeroVironment, Inc. is seeking a Senior Mechanical Engineer to lead mechanical design, analysis and packaging for high‑altitude aerospace electronics.

You will drive development for production rotating electrical machines, manage sub‑contractors, and ensure robust performance under extreme environmental conditions. The role requires deep expertise in SolidWorks, ANSYS, and thermal management, with hands‑on testing in lab and field.