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Applied Intuition is seeking a Senior Manager of Mechanical Engineering for Drone platforms. In this role, you will lead and grow a team of mechanical engineers responsible for the complete mechanical design of uncrewed aircraft systems, from airframe and structures through full aircraft integration. You will own the mechanical engineering roadmap for drone platforms, hire and develop mechanical engineers, and work hands-on with your team through the full product design lifecycle—from concept and prototype through flight test and production.
Key responsibilities include:
- Building and leading a team of mechanical engineers focused on airframe, fuselage, wings/rotor arms, landing gear, and structural components
- Setting technical direction on critical tradeoffs between weight, strength, aerodynamics, flight time, and payload capacity
- Guiding integration of propulsion, batteries, avionics, and payloads into the airframe, including packaging, mounting, cooling, and cable routing
- Overseeing structural, thermal, and vibration analysis; using flight and test data to validate and improve designs
- Driving a culture of rapid prototyping with real hardware, supporting flight testing and field operations
- Leading failure and crash investigations, performing root cause analysis, and implementing design improvements
- Owning design, analysis, and validation quality at component, assembly, and fully integrated aircraft levels
- Championing design for manufacturability, repairability, and field serviceability
- Hiring, mentoring, and managing mechanical engineers' performance and career development
- Partnering cross-functionally with autonomy, avionics, electrical, software, and flight test leaders
Applied Intuition is a $15 billion Series A company founded in 2017, powering the future of physical AI. The company serves automotive, defense, trucking, construction, mining, and agriculture industries. Eighteen of the top 20 global automakers and the United States military trust Applied Intuition's solutions. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale with offices globally.
The company operates primarily in-office (5 days/week) with flexibility for occasional remote work and schedule adjustments for personal commitments.
REQUIREMENTS:
- BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
- 12+ years of experience designing hardware and shipping products, ideally for drones, UAS, or aircraft
- 7+ years of experience leading and managing mechanical engineering teams
- Hands-on experience designing flight vehicles or flight-critical structures (airframes, wings, fuselages, rotor arms, landing gear)
- Strong understanding of aircraft fundamentals: weight, structures, aerodynamic loads, stability, and propulsion integration
- Experience designing lightweight structures, including composites, carbon fiber, and aerospace-grade metals
- Experience with design for manufacturing (CNC machining, composite layup, sheet metal, additive manufacturing)
- Proficiency in CAD, SolidWorks preferred, for 3D design and modification
- Track record of hiring, developing, and retaining strong engineering talent
NICE TO HAVE:
- Experience supporting flight test and field operations
- Experience designing and prototyping custom cable harnesses
- Demonstrated FEA/CAE experience (structural, thermal, vibration, shock)
- Hands-on experience shipping high-complexity hardware in both early-stage startup and mass-production environments
