Sr. Mechanical Design Engineer - (UAV Research & Development)

Confidential Company

Role Overview

As a Research and Development Engineer (Mechanical Design), you will be responsible for the structural design, analysis, and mechanical integration of next-generation UAV platforms and robotic systems. You will lead the development of airframes, enclosures, and deployment mechanisms from initial concept through to physical prototyping. Working closely with aerodynamicists, materials specialists, and electronics teams, you will ensure that our platforms are lightweight, structurally optimized, and rugged enough to withstand demanding operational environments. This role bridges advanced CAD engineering with hands-on workshop prototyping and field-test validation.

Key Responsibilities

• Structural & Airframe Design: Conceptualize and design primary airframe structures, component layouts, and mechanical subsystems for large-scale UAVs and robotic platforms using advanced 3D CAD software.

• Material Selection & Optimization: Select and design with advanced materials, focusing heavily on carbon fiber composites, aerospace-grade aluminum, and additive manufacturing (3D printing) technologies to maximize structural strengthto-weight ratios.

• Mechanism & Payload Integration: Design robust internal mounting structures, rugged environmental enclosures, and deployment mechanisms for critical payloads, sensors, avionics, and power plants (including electric and turbojet propulsion systems).

• Simulation & Analysis (FEA): Perform static, dynamic, and modal Finite Element Analysis (FEA) to validate structural integrity, analyze stress concentrations, and optimize designs against high-vibration and aerodynamic flight loads.

• DFM/DFA Alignment: Apply Design for Manufacturing (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) principles to ensure components can be reliably fabricated via CNC machining, composite molding, or 3D printing.

• Prototyping & Assembly Collaboration: Work directly with the workshop team to fabricate, assemble, and modify mechanical prototypes, resolving tolerance stackups and physical integration challenges on the fly.

• Field Test Support: Participate in flight test campaigns to evaluate mechanical reliability under real-world conditions, analyzing structural wear, vibration data, and landing impacts to drive iterative design improvements.

Required Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree or equivalent in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Mechatronics, or a highly related technical field.

• Experience: Minimum of 5 years of professional experience in mechanical product design, specifically focused on UAV platforms, aerospace structures, or complex mobile robotic systems.

• UAV Scale Familiarity: Proven track record contributing to defense-industry or heavy-industrial UAV projects, preferably involving fixed-wing or multirotor aircraft above 20kg Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW).

• CAD Expertise: Advanced proficiency in professional 3D CAD suites (e.g., SolidWorks, CATIA, or Siemens NX) with a strong command of complex surface modeling and assembly management.

• CAE Capabilities (preferable): Demonstrated experience utilizing FEA tools (e.g., ANSYS, SolidWorks Simulation, or Altair HyperMesh) for structural, thermal, and vibration analysis.

• Manufacturing Knowledge: Deep understanding of composite manufacturing processes, precision CNC machining, sheet metal fabrication, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T), DFMEA.

• Environmental Ruggedization: Familiarity with designing for harsh environments, including ingress protection (IP ratings), thermal management, and vibration/shock isolation for sensitive electronics.

• Field & Team Agility: Willingness to support outdoor field testing, troubleshoot mechanical assemblies in real-world environments, and collaborate seamlessly across hardware, software, and systems engineering disciplines.