{"id":1646523,"url":"https://alion.io/job/skydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer","title":"Senior Manufacturing Design Engineer","company":{"id":6786,"name":"Skydio","domain":"skydio.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/skydio","size_band":"201-500","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Ashby","truth_index":{"grade":"B","score":78,"open_postings":26,"ghost_share":0,"stale_share":0.692,"repost_share":0,"time_to_fill_p50_days":78,"computed_at":"2026-10-13T05:45:00Z"}},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"senior","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"explicit","locations":["Hayward, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":145000,"max":219000,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":219000},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":3,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":true,"technologies":[],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-01T19:54:22Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-01","last_verified_at":"2026-10-13T06:44:40Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":11,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":11},"description":"Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.\nAbout the Role:\nThe Senior Manufacturing Design Engineer is responsible for developing, validating, and scaling the manufacturing processes used to build advanced unmanned aircraft systems. This role bridges product development and production, ensuring new drone designs can be manufactured safely, reliably, and at the required cost, quality, and production rate.\nThe engineer will work cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Test Engineering, and Production to transition products from prototype builds through production launch and sustained high-volume manufacturing.\nHow You’ll Make an Impact:\nNew Product Introduction\nLead manufacturing activities for new drone products and major design changes from prototype through production launch.\n\nDevelop manufacturing plans, process flows, workstation layouts, tooling strategies, and production-readiness requirements.\n\nParticipate in design reviews and provide actionable design-for-manufacturing, assembly, test, automation, and serviceability feedback.\n\nCoordinate prototype, engineering-validation, design-validation, and production-validation builds.\n\nIdentify manufacturing risks early and drive mitigation plans to closure.\n\nEstablish production-readiness criteria and support formal manufacturing readiness reviews.\n\nManufacturing Process Development\nDevelop and validate manufacturing processes for mechanical assembly, electronics integration, adhesive bonding, fastening, soldering, calibration, software loading, functional testing, and final product acceptance.\n\nDefine critical process parameters and product characteristics that affect safety, performance, reliability, and regulatory compliance.\n\nCreate process specifications, work instructions, standard work, control plans, inspection requirements, and manufacturing bills of material.\n\nDesign or specify production tooling, fixtures, error-proofing devices, and semi-automated equipment.\n\nConduct process capability studies, gauge repeatability and reproducibility studies, and equipment qualification.\n\nUse statistical methods and structured experimentation to establish robust operating windows.\n\nProduction Scaling and Optimization\nTranslate production forecasts into labor, equipment, tooling, floor-space, and capacity requirements.\n\nPerform time studies, line balancing, capacity modeling, and bottleneck analysis.\n\nImprove production flow, ergonomics, material presentation, and operator utilization.\n\nDevelop scalable processes that support increasing production volumes without compromising quality or safety.\n\nIdentify and implement opportunities for automation based on safety, quality, capacity, technical feasibility, and return on investment.\n\nSupport factory layout development and production-line commissioning.\n\nQuality and Continuous Improvement\nLead root-cause investigations for manufacturing defects, test failures, yield losses, and reliability issues.\n\nImplement corrective and preventive actions using tools such as 5 Whys, fishbone analysis, fault-tree analysis, and 8D.\n\nDevelop and improve manufacturing metrics, including first-pass yield, cycle time, throughput, scrap, rework, downtime, and overall equipment effectiveness.\n\nPartner with Quality Engineering to develop process failure mode and effects analyses, control plans, inspection methods, and acceptance criteria.\n\nReduce process variation and improve capability using Lean and Six Sigma methods.\n\nSupport configuration control, nonconformance disposition, and engineering change implementation.\n\nCross-Functional and Supplier Support\nPartner with design teams on airframes, propulsion systems, avionics, cameras, sensors, batteries, gimbals, payloads, and communications hardware.\n\nCollaborate with Test Engineering to develop efficient functional, calibration, and end-of-line testing strategies.\n\nWork with Supply Chain and suppliers to improve component manufacturability, quality, capacity, and production readiness.\n\nSupport make-versus-buy evaluations and equipment or capital-expenditure business cases.\n\nTrain technicians, production leads, and operators on new processes, equipment, and work instructions.\n\nProvide hands-on support during pilot builds, production ramps, and critical manufacturing issues.\n\nWhat Makes You a Good Fit:\nRequired Qualifications\nBachelor’s degree in Manufacturing Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechatronics, or a related technical field.\n\nThree or more years of experience in manufacturing engineering, process development, new product introduction, or production engineering.\n\nExperience transitioning complex electromechanical products from development into production.\n\nWorking knowledge of design for manufacturing and assembly, process validation, production tooling, and manufacturing documentation.\n\nExperience with structured problem-solving, root-cause analysis, and corrective-action methods.\n\nAbility to interpret engineering drawings, specifications, bills of material, and geometric dimensioning and tolerancing.\n\nExperience analyzing manufacturing data and using it to improve yield, cycle time, cost, or process capability.\n\nStrong written and verbal communication skills.\n\nAbility to work effectively in a fast-paced environment with evolving products and production requirements.\n\nWillingness to work directly on the manufacturing floor and support time-sensitive production builds.\n\nObtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions.\n\nPreferred Qualifications\nExperience manufacturing drones, aerospace products, robotics, autonomous systems, consumer electronics, or other complex electromechanical assemblies.\n\nKnowledge of aerospace quality systems, including AS9100, first-article inspection, configuration management, and production traceability.\n\nExperience with printed circuit board assemblies, cameras, optical systems, gimbals, inertial sensors, electric motors, batteries, composite structures, or precision mechanical assemblies.\n\nExperience developing adhesive-bonding, torque-controlled fastening, soldering, calibration, or environmentally controlled processes.\n\nFamiliarity with production databases, manufacturing execution systems, enterprise resource planning systems, and product lifecycle management tools.\n\nExperience with CAD, tolerance analysis, statistical analysis, and manufacturing simulation tools.\n\nLean Manufacturing, Six Sigma, or Design for Six Sigma training.\n\nExperience specifying, purchasing, commissioning, or validating automated manufacturing equipment.\n\nFamiliarity with regulated defense or export-controlled manufacturing environments.\n\nCompensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $145,000 - $219,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.\n*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.\n#LI-AR2\nAt Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.\nQualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.\nFor positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/","description_format":"text","description_chars":9200,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":3,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":["401k plan","Equity","Health insurance","Relocation assistance","Stock options"],"hiring_locations":[{"name":"United States","iso":"US","kind":"country"}],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":true,"industries":["Drones & UAVs","Computer Vision","Military Drones","Drone AI"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-01T23:45:51Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"US","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"H-1B filings in 12 months: 34 · green card filings: 6","filings_12m":34,"filings_prev_12m":24,"green_card_filings_12m":6,"median_offered_wage_usd":198500,"route":null,"cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-03T21:08:04+00:00","sources":["US Department of Labor: LCA disclosure data (H-1B, H-1B1, E-3)","US Department of Labor: PERM disclosure data (green cards)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":63,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.632,"p_room":1,"age_days":11,"expected_fill_days":78,"reasons":["conf:2","stale_co","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-13T05:45:00Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":219000,"is_top_pay":true},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/skydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/skydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-13T10:00:18Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":15217,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-14T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":6786},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=6786"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fskydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fskydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fskydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/skydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fskydio-senior-manufacturing-design-engineer"}]}