Mechanical Engineer, Aircraft
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 1, 2026. First seen by Alion on Aug 19, 2026.
Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and the most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming, as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results.
The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars, and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic.
About this role
The Aircraft Engineering team is growing across every discipline it takes to get one designed, built, tested, and flown.
We are opening roles faster than we are posting them, so this is one door into all of them. Tell us what you are good at and we will point you at the openings that fit:
Structures design (composite and metallic primary and secondary structure)
Stress and structural analysis
Mechanisms and actuation (control surfaces, landing gear, doors, payload systems)
Thermal management and environmental control
Propulsion integration
Fluid systems (fuel, hydraulics, pneumatics)
Materials and processes
Test engineering (structural test, ground test, flight test support)
If your background sits across two of these, say so. At our size that is an advantage, not a problem. Applications are reviewed by our engineering leadership on a rolling basis, and we move quickly when there is a fit.
Whatever you end up owning here, you own it end to end. It goes from CAD to a supplier to a fixture to the aircraft, and you are there for every step of that, including the ones that go wrong. The program is operated so that you will not be handed a spec and asked to fill it in. You will be in the room where the requirement gets set, arguing for the version of it you can actually build.
What you'll work on
Design primary and secondary structure for a large autonomous aircraft
Perform structural analysis and margin assessments on flight hardware
Design mechanisms and integrate actuation systems
Solve thermal and packaging challenges in tight volumes
Build and run test campaigns that prove your designs work
Work directly with manufacturing and suppliers to get hardware built
Support ground and flight test operations
What we look for
BS or MS in Mechanical, Aerospace, or a related engineering field
3+ years of experience designing, analyzing, or testing hardware. Aircraft, spacecraft, automotive, or other high-performance hardware backgrounds all apply
Proficiency in CAD (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) and a working knowledge of GD&T
Hands-on mindset. You have built the things you designed
Bias toward speed. You test early and iterate rather than perfect on paper
Ability to work onsite in Oxnard, CA
Nice to have
Composite aircraft structure experience
Experience with FEA tools (Nastran, Abaqus, Ansys)
Experience taking hardware through qualification or certification
Experience at a startup or on a small, fast-moving team
ITAR requirement
To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, applicant must be a U.S. citizen, lawful permanent resident of the U.S., protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State.
Swarm Aero is an equal opportunity employer. We value diverse backgrounds and experiences and make employment decisions without regard to race, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, veteran status, or disability.
What We Offer
Meaningful equity in a high-growth defense technology company
Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
Medical, dental, vision, and 401k
PTO and paid sick leave
Monthly wellness stipend
Daily catered lunch (office)
Paid parental leave
Direct impact on a critical national security mission
A world-class team of engineers and operators solving genuinely hard problems