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Airbound is building the world's most efficient aircraft for ultra-low-cost drone delivery, targeting delivery costs of 10 paise/km versus the current ₹100/km industry standard. The company is fundamentally reimagining aerospace engineering from first principles.
As an Equipment Design Engineer, you will own the design, build, and commissioning of physical test equipment that validates aircraft systems before flight. You'll work across the full lifecycle: taking test requirements and translating them into reliable, safe, repeatable test rigs that operate in real-world conditions. This is a hands-on role requiring both scrappy problem-solving and robust engineering judgment.
Key responsibilities include:
- Designing aircraft system functional and performance testers for all-weather operation
- Developing vibration and life-cycle testers for aircraft system validation
- Engineering extreme weather simulators for drone systems
- Integrating System End-of-Line (EOL) tests for hardware flight qualification
- Taking equipment from concept through prototyping, sourcing, fabrication, assembly, and commissioning
- Collaborating with R&D, Reliability, Flight Systems, Manufacturing, and Operations teams to define test specifications
- Troubleshooting and fixing live test setups in the field under time pressure
You'll be part of Hardware Engineering, which owns the aircraft's physical development from concept to flight-ready components. The team spans system design, mechanism design, and structural design, with particular emphasis on designing the custom equipment and rigs needed to validate designs before flight testing.
The role is based in Hoskote, Bangalore (company headquarters), in-office with alternate Saturday work schedules.
REQUIREMENTS:
Must-have:
- 5+ years in mechanical/equipment design, test engineering, or fixture/tooling design, ideally with experience in equipment involving stored energy, motion, or human-safety considerations (industrial machinery, automation equipment)
- Strong hands-on CAD skills for full assemblies including mechanisms, structures, fixturing, sheet metal, and machined parts
- Proven track record taking equipment from concept through prototyping, sourcing, fabrication, assembly, and commissioning
- Experience with actuation mechanisms, energy storage/release systems (spring, pneumatic, elastic, or similar), rails/guides, and controlled deceleration/arrest systems
- Demonstrated understanding of safety margins, system safety, and human safety practices around equipment storing or releasing significant energy
- Practical experience designing for outdoor/weatherproof operation with judgment about durability and longevity
- Basic project management skills to scope, plan, and run projects with minimal oversight
- Comfort troubleshooting and fixing issues on live test setups in the field under time pressure
Good to have:
- Experience with load testing/structural test rigs and associated instrumentation
- Experience designing for UAVs, aerospace hardware, or other safety-critical mechanical systems
- Experience working with vendors/fabricators in India for rapid turnaround builds
- Familiarity with relevant safety standards for test equipment or machinery
