Senior Mechanical Engineer

Skyways Mechanical EngineerSkyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long-range cargo aircraft. Founded in 2017, the company has spent the last eight years developing and deploying autonomous logistics systems for real-world V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, while our next-generation V3 carries 100 lbs over 1,000+ miles with 20+ hours of endurance. Both use a hybrid-electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long-range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.Today, Skyways aircraft operate across three continents in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight and in support of U.S. military operations. We are transitioning from prototype development to full-rate production and scaling toward large autonomous cargo fleets.Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is creating a new form of transportation to advance our civilization from Austin, Texas.The OpportunityThis role owns critical aircraft hardware from concept through flight.You will design, build, test, and iterate on mechanical systems that directly impact aircraft performance, manufacturability, and operational reliability. The work spans structural design, mechanisms, integration, and rapid hardware development across autonomous aircraft will work closely with electrical, manufacturing, flight test, and operations teams to move quickly from design concepts to flight-ready hardware. The role requires strong engineering judgment, hands-on execution, and the ability to solve difficult problems in fast-moving development environments.The ideal candidate has experience developing complex mechanical systems for aerospace, robotics, automotive, or other high-performance hardware platforms and is comfortable owning hardware through the full product lifecycle.What You'll Do:Design and develop aircraft structures, mechanisms, and integrated mechanical systemsCreate CAD models, drawings, and release documentation for production hardwareMentor junior mechanical engineers and raise the design and review bar across the team through your own examplePerform mechanical analysis, tolerance studies, and design tradeoff evaluationsSupport prototype builds, aircraft integration, and flight test activitiesWork closely with manufacturing teams to improve manufacturability and assembly processesTroubleshoot hardware issues identified during build, integration, and flight operationsCollaborate across electrical, software, manufacturing, and flight teams to deliver integrated systemsSupport rapid design iteration and engineering changes as aircraft systems evolveWhat You'll Bring:Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field5+ years of experience designing and developing complex mechanical systemsStrong CAD experience, preferably in SolidWorks or similar toolsExperience taking hardware from concept through prototyping, testing, and productionStrong understanding of structural design, materials, and manufacturing processesHands-on experience with hardware integration, testing, and troubleshootingAbility to make practical engineering tradeoffs under schedule and operational constraintsStrong communication and cross-functional collaboration skillsBonus Points:Experience with aerospace, UAV, robotics, or autonomous systemsExperience designing lightweight structures or composite assembliesFamiliarity with manufacturing processes for low-volume or rapidly iterating hardware systemsExperience supporting flight test or operational hardware deploymentsExperience with FEA, GD&T, or tolerance analysisWant to join our mission? Apply to learn more!Due to U.S. government contract requirements, this role is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or candidates from specific countries authorized under applicable export control is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.