Mechanical Engineer

About the role

You will define the mechanical scope for a full-stack autonomy program applicable to any aircraft, translating demanding operational specifications into tangible, production-ready components for aircraft systems from takeoff to landing. You will operate within a fast-paced startup environment where technical curiosity, ownership, and delivery under aggressive timelines define everyday work. This position requires collaboration with avionics, flight controls, systems engineering, and flight test teams to ensure hardware solutions meet the rigorous demands of autonomous flight. You will drive the development of critical hardware solutions from initial concept through to final integration. The role is based in Boston and represents a full-time opportunity to contribute to current autonomy hardware development. The base compensation for this position is $170,000. You will be expected to own complex mechanical challenges and see them through to successful completion in a high-integrity aerospace setting.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Execute the mechanical architecture and detailed design for autonomy hardware systems, ensuring alignment with aircraft integration constraints.
• Transform abstract operational requirements into concrete mechanical specifications that guide the development of robust and reliable hardware.
• Develop intricate mechanical assemblies and select appropriate materials and manufacturing processes to meet aerospace durability standards.
• Author precise engineering drawings and technical documentation that serve as the foundation for production and quality control activities.
• Validate prototypes through established testing protocols, analyzing results to iterate on designs and refine performance, reliability, and safety margins.
• Partner with controls engineers to ensure mechanical layouts for sensors and actuators perfectly align with flight dynamics, stability, and control surface requirements.
• Coordinate oversight of fabrication activities, managing relationships with external vendors to maintain project schedules, quality standards, and cost objectives.
• Support the development and execution of comprehensive test plans that verify hardware durability, environmental compliance, and operational performance in demanding aviation conditions.
• Integrate mechanical components into larger subsystems, observing and evaluating functionality during bench-level testing to identify and resolve interface issues.
• Meticulously document all design decisions, analysis rationales, and processes to ensure future teams can understand, replicate, and extend your work without loss of critical knowledge.
• Serve as a mechanical domain expert within cross-functional agile teams, providing technical leadership and data-driven insights during critical design reviews.
• Adapt quickly to evolving project priorities and technical challenges, demonstrating flexibility and resilience in a fast-paced startup environment.
• Proactively identify potential mechanical risks early in the development cycle and drive mitigation strategies to prevent downstream production issues.
• Contribute to the definition of test procedures and acceptance criteria that ensure the mechanical hardware is ready for rigorous flight testing.
• Support the analysis of test data to drive iterative improvements and validate that mechanical solutions meet stringent aviation certification requirements.

Requirements

To be considered for this role, you must hold a Bachelor's degree in engineering or a related technical field. You are expected to bring 3 to 5 years of hands-on experience developing mechanical hardware specifically for aerospace or robotics applications. A demonstrated familiarity with regulations and standards relevant to the aviation and defense sectors is essential. You must possess the ability to read and interpret engineering drawings and technical specifications with a high degree of accuracy. Effective communication skills are required to collaborate with multidisciplinary teams, while a detail-oriented mindset is necessary to solve complex problems efficiently. You must be proficient in using engineering software tools for design and analysis relevant to mechanical hardware development. You should be comfortable working in a documentation-intensive environment where traceability and rigorous process adherence are mandatory. The ability to manage multiple design iterations and competing deadlines in a dynamic, deadline-driven setting is critical for success in this position.

Nice to have

Preferred candidates will have experience with rapid prototyping and manufacturing techniques relevant to aerospace hardware development. Knowledge of compliance with aviation safety standards and certification processes is highly valued. Experience with sensor integration and mechanical packaging for autonomous systems is a significant advantage. Familiarity with flight test campaign support and data acquisition systems is also considered a preferred qualification for this role.

Practical notes

Hours: Full Time

Location: Boston

Employment Type: Full Time

Compensation: $170,000

This job description is intended to convey relevant information about the role and is not an exhaustive list of functions. Duties and responsibilities may change or be updated in accordance with business needs.