Mechanical Engineer II

Worker Type

Regular

Job Description

Summary

The Aeromechanical Engineer is a key member of an air vehicle IPT team of small UAV systems for both military and commercial applications. Within this position, one's primary duties are focused on:

• Performing all aspects of vehicle design from initial concept to complete production-ready design.
• Resolution of design challenges and coordination with multidisciplinary engineering groups.
• Conducting informal and formal presentations.
• Using scientific and engineering principals to assess deficiencies in any given design and the impact of potential changes
• Responsible for completing assigned tasks within project schedule and budget
• Other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications (Required Skills & Experience)

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering is required or equivalent combination of experience and education
• 2 - 5 years' relevant experience in a technical and design capacity within an engineering organization
• Demonstrated competency in Mechanical Engineering processes and design/analysis tools; solving Mechanics & Kinematics problems; and solving Thermodynamics problems
• Experienced with designing: machined parts, composite parts, injection molded parts, sheet metal parts, wire assemblies and mechanical assemblies for low, medium and high volume manufacturing processes.
• Experienced with: mechanical, lab, field, flight, and environmental testing
• Demonstrated understanding of engineering configuration management processes
• Demonstrated understanding of metallic, plastic and composite material properties
• Experienced in solving basic structural dynamics problems
• Proficiency in SolidWorks, Excel, Word and PowerPoint is required
• Demonstrated understanding of industry design and documentation standards (GD&T, ASME, Change Control, etc.

Other Qualifications & Desired Competencies

• Experience with SolidWorks EPDM, Agile PLM, and MATLAB is desired
• Has the creativity and interest to invent and improve vehicle systems and motivated to make this happen
• Knowledge and experience of analytical techniques and tools for FEA, Thermal, Aerodynamics is preferred
• Hands-on experience with metal and composite fabrication and 3D printing is highly desirable
• Familiarity with UAVs and related engineering design processes is highly desirable
• Familiarity with electro-mechanical/mechanism design, aerodynamics, “data engineering” (instrumentation/data acquisition/data analysis) is preferred
• Competent in working from high-level program requirements
• Demonstrates effective written and verbal communication skills and competency in communicating effectively with the intended audience
• Demonstrates strong interpersonal skills and works well with others across disciplines
• Demonstrates good presentation skills for formal reviews both internally and externally
• Able to excel in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment, where small teams share a broad variety of duties.
• Displays strong initiative and drive to accomplish goals and meet company objectives
• Takes ownership and responsibility for current and past work products
• Is committed to learning from mistakes and driven to improve and enhance performance of oneself, others and the company

Physical Demands

• Ability to work in an office and manufacturing environment (Constant)
• Required to sit and stand for long periods; talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer and telephone keyboard (Frequent)

Clearance Level

No Clearance

The salary range for this role is:

$82,000 - $125,000

AeroVironment considers several factors when extending an offer, including but not limited to, the location, the role and associated responsibilities, a candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills.

ITAR Requirement:

This position requires access to information that is subject to compliance with the International Traffic Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) and/or the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”). In order to comply with the requirements of the ITAR and/or the EAR, applicants must qualify as a U.S. person under the ITAR and the EAR, or a person to be approved for an export license by the governing agency whose technology comes under its jurisdiction. Please understand that any job offer that requires approval of an export license will be conditional on AeroVironment’s determination that it will be able to obtain an export license in a time frame consistent with AeroVironment’s business requirements. A “U.S. person” according to the ITAR definition is a U.S. citizen, U.S. lawful permanent resident (green card holder), or protected individual such as a refugee or asylee. See 22 CFR § 120.15. Some positions will require current U.S. Citizenship due to contract requirements.

Benefits: AV offers an excellent benefits package including medical, dental vision, 401K with company matching, a 9/80 work schedule and a paid holiday shutdown. For more information about our company benefit offerings please visit: http://www.avinc.com/myavbenefits.

We also encourage you to review our company website at http://www.avinc.com to learn more about us.

Principals only need apply. NO agencies please.

About AV:

AV isn’t for everyone. We hire the curious, the relentless, the mission-obsessed. The best of the best.

We don’t just build defense technology—we redefine what’s possible. As the premier autonomous systems company in the U.S., AV delivers breakthrough capabilities across air, land, sea, space, and cyber. From AI-powered drones and loitering munitions to integrated autonomy and space resilience, our technologies shape the future of warfare and protect those who serve.

Founded by legendary innovator Dr. Paul MacCready, AV has spent over 50 years pushing the boundaries of what unmanned systems can do. Our heritage includes seven platforms in the Smithsonian—but we’re not building history, we’re building what’s next.

If you're ready to build technology that matters—with speed, scale, and purpose—there’s no better place to do it than AV.

We are proud to be an EEO/AA Equal Opportunity Employer, including disability/veterans. AeroVironment, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) employer and welcomes all qualified applicants. Qualified applicants will receive fair and impartial consideration without regard to race, sex, color, religion, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, genetic data, sexual orientation, gender identity or other legally protected status.

ITAR

U.S. Citizenship required