Principal Mechanical Engineer

RED CAT HOLDINGS•South Salt Lake, UT

About The Position

Teal's Mechanical Engineers are responsible for their designs from conception to sustaining of released products. As a Principal Mechanical Engineer, you are responsible for the high-level mechanical system design of our product including a drone, gimbal/optical systems, payload applications, accessories, and ground control stations. You work closely with the other discipline lead engineers and the product manager to decompose product level requirements into a system architecture and set of engineering requirements that achieve the product vision with the best compromise of development time, cost, and design complexity. You also direct the efforts of other mechanical engineers who are focused on specific subsystems, and you integrate their designs to build a robust integrated system. You take ownership of the design and drive yourself and others to produce the best possible product.

Requirements

BS Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering
15+ years’ experience leading unmanned aircraft systems (UAV) design and verification
Working knowledge of drone propulsion systems (propeller design, motors, etc.), structural analysis, vibration, and heat transfer. FEA and CFD experience preferred.
Experience in SolidWorks, PDM, and PLM (Arena preferred) systems
Proficiency in setting up and the use of laboratory test equipment (thermal, vibration, structural, propulsion)
Experience leading and working with suppliers for new component or systems manufacturing to reduce costs and improve design quality
Demonstrated experience defining technical requirements from high level product (user) requirements
Demonstrated understanding of Waterfall design and development methodologies
Demonstrated ability to work well in and through cross functional teams and ability to influence decisions to drive optional design performance
Must be able to walk, stand, and navigate large indoor and outdoor facilities for extended periods of time.
Ability to lift, carry, and move materials and equipment weighing up to 25 lbs on a regular basis.
Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required in designated areas or when performing specific tasks, in accordance with safety protocols and company policy.
May be required to climb ladders, stoop, kneel, or crouch during inspections, maintenance walk-throughs, or emergency response situations.
Regular exposure to facility operations including noise, dust, temperature fluctuations, and industrial equipment.
Occasional off-hours or weekend work required for emergency facility responses or projects as needed
Requires frequent use of a computer and other standard office equipment for documentation, communication, and coordination tasks.
This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check.
Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.
Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

Responsibilities

Own the mechanical system architecture across all drone platforms
Set initial work breakdown structures and initial schedule target dates
Primary point of contact for integration of ME systems into the drone with Electrical Engineers, Software Engineers, etc.
Ownership and guidance for critical issues in quality or manufacturing
Best practice / technical guidance document ownership (first article inspection criteria, battery acceptance, etc.)
Point of contact for 3rd party supplier integration or other Red Cat division collaboration
Work with a cross-disciplinary team to break down product requirements into clear testable and traceable formal system and subsystem engineering requirements
Perform trade studies to identify and down select critical system components and technologies
Lead a team of engineers and integrate their designs into a working system
Implement design-for-manufacturing (DFM) and design-for-test (DFT) best practices and feedback
Write or oversee and execute Engineering Verification Test (EVT) procedures
Maintain an accurate mechanical bill of materials (BOM) in the product lifecycle management (PLM) system