Posted 2 months ago

Senior Mechanical Engineer

AustinOn-siteFull-time

AI Summary

Senior Mechanical Engineer responsible for owning aircraft subsystems from concept through flight, designing mechanical components, building prototypes, and iterating based on flight data and ground testing.

About this role

Skyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long-range cargo aircraft. We have been flying real missions with real customers since 2017.

Our V2 carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles and our V3 carries 100 lbs over 1,000 miles with 20+ hours of endurance. Both use a dual-hybrid design that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane. We are currently flying on three continents, in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight, and in support of U.S. military operations.

Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M STRATFI contract from the U.S. Air Force, we are moving from prototype to full-rate production with a path to Program of Record. Based in Austin, we are scaling fast and hiring people who want to build the world's largest fleet of autonomous logistics aircraft.

The Opportunity

Skyways is hiring a Senior Mechanical Engineer to own major aircraft subsystems from concept through flight. You will design hardware, build and test prototypes, and iterate quickly based on real-world performance.

This role sits at the intersection of engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations, ensuring systems are both reliable in the air and practical to build at scale. We are looking for someone with strong technical judgment who is comfortable working hands-on with hardware and moving quickly through design, build, and test cycles.

What You'll Do:

Own mechanical subsystems from concept through build, testing, and flight validation

Design structural and mechanical components for autonomous aircraft

Develop prototypes and iterate designs based on ground testing and flight data

Lead subsystem design reviews and drive system level integration across structures, avionics, propulsion, and payload systems

Partner with manufacturing early in the design process to ensure systems are buildable and capable of scaling to production

Help define design standards and engineering practices as the team grows

What You'll Bring:

Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field

Experience working on complex hardware systems such as aircraft, robotics, or autonomous vehicles

Strong CAD and mechanical design experience

Experience taking hardware from concept through build, integration, testing, and deployment

Comfort working closely with prototype builds and resolving integration issues

Strong collaboration skills across engineering, manufacturing, and operations teams

Bonus Points:

Experience designing aircraft structures or flight hardware

Experience working with composite materials or lightweight structures

Experience supporting prototype builds, system integration, or flight testing

Experience working in startup or rapid hardware development environments

Skills

Aerospace HardwareAvionics InterfacesCADCompositesDesign ReviewsFlight HardwareIntegration TestingLightweight StructuresManufacturing CollaborationMechanical DesignPayload IntegrationPropulsion InterfacesPrototype DevelopmentStructural AnalysisSystems Engineering

Senior Mechanical Engineer

About this role

The Opportunity

What You'll Do:

What You'll Bring:

Bonus Points:

Skills

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