Hardware Development Specialist

Skydio•San Mateo, CA

30d•$94,000 - $156,000

About The Position

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users. From utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios and beyond. About the role: The Hardware Development team supports nearly every engineer in Skydio’s Hardware organization by designing and fabricating custom fixtures, prototypes, and tooling that keep product design, electrical, software, and reliability teams moving fast. Our work spans electrical and mechanical domains—from board rework to full fixture builds—in a shared lab full of 3D printers, electrical equipment, fabrication tools, and prototype products. We’re looking for an enthusiastic, hands-on Hardware Development Specialist who loves building, fixing, and improving hardware. You’ll support a wide range of prototyping efforts and thrive on variety, learning, and cross-disciplinary collaboration.

Requirements

4-6+ years of experience building and debugging hardware in a prototype or R&D environment (or equivalent hands-on experience)
Solid harnessing, soldering and rework skills: comfortable soldering fine-pitch (0201) components under a microscope, crimping connectors, routing hook up wire and reworking BGAs
Familiarity with basic circuits and schematics: able to trace signals, debug with a multimeter and reason about simple electronics
Proficiency with fabrication tools such as drill press, belt sander, dremel, and (ideally) laser cutters and 3D Printers
Curiosity to understand why things fail and comfortable investigating, documenting and communicating findings to improve future designs and processes
Enthusiastic tendencies toward solving challenges quickly with the parts on-hand

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with a mechanical or electrical CAD tool like Fusion, KiCAD or Cadence Allegro/OrCAD

Responsibilities

Perform board-level rework and debug (down to fine-pitch SMT) to support product bring-up and test fixture development, including identifying root causes of failure and proposing corrective actions
Build and repair electromechanical assemblies that interface with Skydio drones, docks and test equipment
Create neat, reliable wire harnesses, cable assemblies and box builds
Identify, purchase and bring-up new tools and equipment to improve lab efficiency, precision and rework quality
Fabricate custom parts and fixtures using basic shop tools