Mechanical Engineer, Landing Gear

Swarm Aero•Oxnard, CA

41d•Hybrid

About The Position

Swarm Aero is redefining air power, building the largest swarming UAV and most versatile swarming aircraft network in the world. The company is moving quickly to launch the first aircraft designed specifically for swarming as well as the Command & Control software to mobilize swarms of thousands of heterogeneous autonomous assets and empower human operators to achieve superhuman results. The team has created and exited multiple startups, negotiated defense deals worth billions of dollars and designed and built 30+ novel aircraft, with aerospace experience from Scaled Composites, Airbus, Archer Aviation, Blue Origin, and Boom Supersonic We're looking for a seasoned Mechanical Engineer to own the design and development of landing gear systems for our next-generation aircraft. This isn't about iterating on existing designs—you'll be creating new solutions from first principles, making critical trade-offs, and seeing your work fly. You'll work closely with structures, flight controls, and systems integration teams to deliver landing gear that's lightweight, robust, and optimized for our unique operational requirements. This is a hands-on, high-impact role where your decisions shape the aircraft.

Requirements

7+ years of mechanical engineering experience in aerospace, automotive, or related high-performance systems
Direct experience designing landing gear, suspension systems, or similar mechanical systems with shock absorption and actuation
Expert-level skills in SolidWorks, CATIA, or NX
Strong background in FEA (ANSYS, Abaqus, etc.), structural analysis, and mechanical system modeling
Understanding of machining, composites, additive manufacturing, and DFM principles
Ability to navigate ambiguity, make sound engineering trade-offs, and move quickly
Comfortable working in a lab/shop environment, building prototypes, and troubleshooting hardware

Nice To Haves

Experience with retractable landing gear systems
Background in aerospace structures or aircraft systems integration
Familiarity with FAA/MIL-SPEC certification requirements
Experience with composite materials and lightweighting strategies
Prior work at aerospace startups or fast-paced development programs
Programming/scripting skills (Python, MATLAB) for automation and analysis

Responsibilities

Design from scratch: Lead mechanical design of landing gear systems including shock absorption, actuation, retraction mechanisms, and structural interfaces
Analysis and validation: Perform stress analysis, fatigue calculations, kinematics modeling, and validate designs through simulation and testing
Material selection and manufacturing: Select materials and manufacturing processes optimized for weight, strength, and cost; work with vendors and internal production teams
Testing and iteration: Develop test plans, oversee ground and flight testing, analyze results, and iterate rapidly based on data
Integration: Collaborate with adjacent engineering teams (structures, electrical, flight controls) to ensure seamless system integration
Documentation: Create detailed engineering drawings, specifications, and technical reports to support certification and production

Benefits

Meaningful equity stake in a high-growth defense technology company
Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, vision, and 401k
PTO and Paid Sick Time
Monthly Wellness Stipend
Daily catered lunch to office
Paid Parental leave
Flexible work arrangement - remote/hybrid with regular collaboration in Oxnard
Direct impact opportunity - be a key leader in building a critical technology for national security
World-class team - work alongside exceptional engineers and operators solving hard problems