Product Design Engineer (Early Career)

Skydio•San Mateo, CA

1d•$132,000 - $175,000

About The Position

Skydio is hiring an early-career Product Design Engineer to help architect, develop, and refine the mechanical structures, mechanisms, and solutions that support reliable autonomous flight. In a collaborative environment, the engineer will design mechanical parts and assemblies for aircraft, ground stations, and accessories, partnering with senior engineers and taking on greater component ownership over time. The role involves integrating electrical components into mechanical designs, working with vendors and cross-functional operations and supply chain teams, planning and conducting engineering tests, and using analysis to evaluate design trade-offs and verify performance. The engineer will follow designs through prototyping, pre-production, and mass production; support manufacturing processes and quality criteria; and investigate failures to identify root causes. The position offers mentorship from experienced mechanical engineers, regular design reviews, hands-on exposure to the full hardware lifecycle, and increasing ownership. Compensation for regular full-time employees includes a base salary of $132,000–$175,000, stock options, and comprehensive benefits. Relocation assistance may be available for eligible roles.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering or a related field, or be graduating soon.
Hands-on product or hardware experience through internships, co-ops, student design teams, research, or personal projects.
Strong engineering fundamentals and the ability to solve open-ended design problems.
Proficiency in 3D CAD, including building multi-part assemblies.
Familiarity with common manufacturing processes such as injection molding, CNC machining, casting, or sheet metal, and how they affect design decisions.
Ability to create clear mechanical drawings, or eagerness to develop this skill with mentorship.
Curiosity, attention to detail, and an appreciation for well-designed hardware.
Collaborative mindset and comfort working in a fast-paced environment where priorities shift.

Nice To Haves

Experience with CATIA.
Exposure to GD&T, tolerance analysis, or FEA.
Experience with composites or electromechanical systems such as drones, consumer electronics, or robotics.
Experience rapidly prototyping with 3D printing, machine shop tools, or similar.

Responsibilities

Design mechanical parts and assemblies for aircraft, ground stations, and accessories, collaborating with senior engineers on new architectures and taking ownership of components over time.
Partner with electrical engineers to integrate custom PCBAs, flex circuits, antennas, and cable harnesses into mechanical designs.
Work with vendors on technical questions and part reviews in collaboration with operations and supply chain teams.
Plan and run engineering tests, and use analysis to evaluate design trade-offs and verify part performance.
Follow designs from early prototypes through pre-production and mass production.
Support manufacturing teams with assembly processes and quality and inspection criteria.
Investigate and debug failures to identify root causes.