Mechanical Engineer - Mechanical Systems

As a Mechanical Engineer at Elroy Air, you will be responsible for owning the design, analysis, build, and test of the flight-critical mechanical systems that bring our autonomous cargo UAV to life. You will work on a range of mechanical and structural systems, driving mechanical design and decision making that enables aircraft testing and flight.

What you’ll own:

• Designing and developing vehicle subsystems, including primary and secondary structures, flight control surfaces and actuation systems, landing gear, and thermal management systems from architecture definition through integration

• Apply first-principles analysis, FEA, trade studies, and engineering best practices to ensure components and assemblies meet load, weight, and safety requirements for flight

• Define subsystem and component requirements compatible with safety, performance, and program objectives; manage functional and physical interfaces between subsystems and the vehicle

• Select materials appropriate for aerospace applications (aluminum alloys, titanium, composites) with consideration for weight, strength, fatigue, and manufacturability

• Apply DFM principles across fabrication methods including composites, sheet metal, machining, 3D printing, welding, and bonding to support efficient, producible designs

• Conduct environmental analysis and testing, including vibration, shock, thermal, and corrosion, and support design and build of test fixtures to verify subsystem performance and safety

• Select and manage suppliers and partners to ensure components are delivered within budget, schedule, and specification

• Prepare and present at gated design reviews to demonstrate design adequacy

Our ideal candidate:

• B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline; M.S. preferred

• 5+ years of hands-on experience as a professional mechanical engineer, directly related to vehicle subsystem design in the automotive, aeronautical, or space industries

• Proficiency with SolidWorks and/or CATIA, including PDM/PLM and data release processes

• Proficiency with MBD and GD&T (ASME Y14.5)

• Experience with FEA tools (NASTRAN, ANSYS, FEMAP, or similar) for structural and thermal analysis

• Strong grasp of materials selection for aerospace applications: aluminum alloys, titanium, composites, and their relevant specifications and failure modes

• Experience with vibration, shock, thermal, and corrosion environmental testing and analysis

• Fluency in first-principles, hand, and computer-aided analysis to guide and substantiate mechanical designs

• Working knowledge of aerospace production processes and DFM trade-offs across composites, sheet metal, machining, 3D printing, welding, and bonding

Bonus points for:

• Experience with lift+cruise, tiltrotor, or other eVTOL platforms

• Prior design, fabrication, test, and operation of airworthy primary/secondary structures, flight control surface and actuation systems, rotors and propellers, payload handling systems, landing gear, or thermal management systems

• Experience developing components for weight-constrained applications

• Proficiency with FEMAP, NX Nastran, MATLAB, Mathcad, LabVIEW, and/or Python

• Working knowledge of FAA Part 21 type certification processes and Part 23/Part 27 airworthiness standards, including means and methods of compliance

What we offer:

• Competitive salary
• Equity ownership in a rapidly growing advanced aerospace company
• Comprehensive medical benefits
• 401(k) with company contribution + Roth IRA
• Free daily lunch provided onsite
• Flexible time-off policy
• 3 months of paid parental leave
• Employee assistance program with 24/7 support
• High-impact startup environment with significant ownership and autonomy
• Opportunities for rapid career growth and internal advancement
• You’ll work with a motivated, kind, and highly skilled team
• You'll help shape and define our company culture and values
• You'll help build and scale a new category of aerospace / logistics technology