RapidFlight is an integrated designer and manufacturer of unmanned aircraft. We are pioneers in airframe engineering rooted in our core tenets of shape, speed, and strength. Through rapid solutions development and additive manufacturing, we unleash agility and deliver performance. Our flexible and responsive systems are built to achieve operational success.

This position is located in Manassas, VA. Candidate must be within commuting distance or willing to relocate.

Overview

The Sr Mechanical Engineer (ME) strongly contributes to the success of RapidFlight’s engineering and development efforts by creating world-class mechanical design contributions. The ME role drives systems maturation by advancing mechanical concepts, mechanism designs, structural design, manufacturing processes, component evaluation methodologies, and documentation. This role reports to the Director of Engineering with matrixed reporting to integrated program teams (IPTs).

Responsibilities:

• Drive mechanical design of specific systems components in response to specific design criteria and program requirements.
• Validate component designs against environmental and stress cases using advanced simulation, proof of concept prototyping, and DOE methodologies.
• Refine geometric tolerances with ownership of tolerance stacks through design, fabrication, and production lifecycles.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of industry best practices in component design, fabrication of varies materials, advanced manufacturing, and design for manufacturability.
• Establish standardized fastener and non-fastener jointing design techniques for implementation across the engineering organization.
• Advance engineering organizational understanding of additive manufacturing design, fabrication, bonding, fastening, and finishing techniques.
• Develop engineering Bill-Of-Material (BOM) with iterative mass, material, cost, and production detail.
• Establish and refine internal hardware “super-market” inventory list.
• Develop, vet, and maintain strong relationships with strategic components suppliers.
• Identify, mitigate, and track mechanical engineering risk and communicate those risks with a broader IPT.
• Contribute estimates for work packages, component cost, and task durations in support of program basis of estimates.
• Drive discipline-specific cross-functional learning to proliferate a distributed understanding of program design elements.
• Cultivate strong technical acumen across the mechanical engineering discipline through training, mentoring, and coaching.

Qualifications:

• Undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering or directly relevant professional work experience required.
• 10+ years actively participating in mechanical engineering, product development, manufacturing, or product sustainment experience required.
• 10+ years operating within a collaborative engineering environment. Matrixed organizational structure experience preferred.
• Strong record of past performance contributing to and leading mechanical design of components at the system or subsystems level.
• Practical experience leading or contributing to FMECA efforts.
• Practical experience implementing industry and government design standards, including but not limited to: ISO, ASME, MILSTD, FAR, etc.
• Ability to travel between <10% supporting vendor engagement and engineering efforts.
• Direct experience advancing aircraft structures, flight technologies, autonomous systems, strategic military systems, tactical military systems, or advanced additive manufacturing strongly desired.

Please expect to sign a non-disclosure agreement (NDA) prior to an on-site interview.

Sponsorship is not offered for this position. Upon hire, chosen candidate must present valid document(s) that confirm identification and eligibility to work in the United States.

RapidFlight requires its employees to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or to request reasonable accommodation for medical or religious exemption.

RapidFlight is an equal opportunities employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.