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Salary: USD 170,000 - 277,500 / annual
Skydio is the leading US autonomous drone company, serving defense, public safety, enterprise, and utility sectors. We are seeking a Senior Electric Motor Propulsion Engineer to model, architect, optimize, and refine the electric propulsion systems that power our drones.
In this role, you will own the design and optimization of propulsion systems across the full stack—from batteries and electronic speed controllers (ESCs) to motors and propellers. You will develop detailed motor designs, create thermal simulation models, perform loss characterization testing, and collaborate with motor control and ESC teams to integrate and optimize system performance.
Key responsibilities include:
- Modeling and optimizing propulsion systems end-to-end, with deep focus on electric motor losses, flux behavior, and efficiency
- Designing and testing innovative motor technologies, particularly outrunner PMSMs in the ~500W size class
- Developing test plans and performing measurements to characterize motor performance
- Creating simulation models for thermal analysis and system-level engineering
- Optimizing motor performance, efficiency, and size through detailed design iteration
- Integrating propulsion subsystems with motor control and power electronics teams
- Understanding manufacturing and construction techniques for drone propulsion components
This is a hands-on engineering role requiring both theoretical depth and practical system integration skills. FAA Part 107 certification is strongly encouraged within the first 60 days and required for certain positions.
Requirements:
- Strong mathematical and physical understanding of motor power and loss mechanisms
- Excellent knowledge of finite element method (FEM) for motor analysis
- Experience in motor thermal modeling
- Demonstrated experience in electric motor loss characterization
- Knowledge of motor control theory
- Familiarity with construction and manufacturing techniques of outrunner PMSMs (~500W class)
- End-to-end understanding of drone propulsion systems (battery to ESC to motors to propellers)
- Ability to model, architect, and optimize complete propulsion systems
About Skydio
Defense / GovTech; Industrial — autonomous drones for defense, public safety, and enterprise.
