Staff Aero-Mechanical Engineer

Summary

Redwire Defense Tech is seeking a Staff Aero-Mechanical Engineer to serve as a cross-disciplinary technical leader responsible for the design and integration of uncrewed aircraft systems (UAS), including airframe and all integrated subsystems.

Responsibilities

• Own the architecture and integration of mechanical and aero systems across airframe and integrated UAS.
• Lead cross-disciplinary technical design reviews and mentor project teams through critical design milestones.
• Perform detailed analysis balancing weight, strength, thermal performance, and manufacturability.
• Develop design standards, checklists, and best practices for CAD modeling and documentation across the team.
• Oversee validation testing and troubleshoot issues that span mechanical, structural, and system interfaces.
• Contribute to system architecture definition and configuration management strategy for multi-program alignment.
• Collaborate with production and quality teams to ensure design maturity supports manufacturing scalability.
• Serve as a technical mentor and provide guidance on complex analyses or cross-functional trade-offs.
• Drive innovation initiatives through R&D and IRAD projects to advance new technologies and processes.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field required.
• 7–10 years of progressive engineering experience in aerospace, UAS, or defense environments.
• Demonstrated ownership of system-level designs and cross-discipline integration.
• Proven experience leading design reviews and guiding teams through development cycles.
• Expert CAD skills (SolidWorks preferred) with large-assembly and PDM management experience.
• Proficiency in mechanical and structural analysis methods (FEA, thermal, fatigue).
• Knowledge of materials and manufacturing processes including composites and precision machining.
• Understanding of systems engineering principles and configuration management.
• Ability to translate requirements into design solutions and verify via testing.
• Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence technical direction.
• Excellent analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Proactive communication style that builds alignment across teams.
• Organized and strategic thinker capable of balancing multiple priorities.
• Commitment to mentoring others and advancing engineering discipline maturity.

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
• 10+ years in aerospace design and integration with lead engineering or project lead responsibilities.
• Experience with flight test campaigns and validation of aerospace structures or mechanisms.
• Proficiency with advanced simulation and optimization tools (CFD, multiphysics, fatigue modeling).
• Experience developing design standards or training content for engineering teams.
• Familiarity with safety and regulatory requirements for defense or certified aircraft programs.
• Ability to think strategically about technology roadmaps and process improvement.
• Demonstrated ability to balance innovation with schedule and risk considerations.
• Effective stakeholder management with a focus on collaboration and execution.