Senior Manufacturing Design Engineer

The posting, as Skydio wrote it

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors https://www.skydio.com/solutions/energy-and-utilities to first responders https://www.skydio.com/solutions/public-safety, soldiers in battlefield scenarios https://www.skydio.com/solutions/national-security/tactical-isr, and beyond https://www.skydio.com/solutions.

About the Role

The Senior Manufacturing Design Engineer is responsible for developing, validating, and scaling the manufacturing processes used to build advanced unmanned aircraft systems. This role bridges product development and production, ensuring new drone designs can be manufactured safely, reliably, and at the required cost, quality, and production rate.

The engineer will work cross-functionally with Design Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Test Engineering, and Production to transition products from prototype builds through production launch and sustained high-volume manufacturing.

How You’ll Make an Impact

NEW PRODUCT INTRODUCTION

• Lead manufacturing activities for new drone products and major design changes from prototype through production launch.
• Develop manufacturing plans, process flows, workstation layouts, tooling strategies, and production-readiness requirements.
• Participate in design reviews and provide actionable design-for-manufacturing, assembly, test, automation, and serviceability feedback.
• Coordinate prototype, engineering-validation, design-validation, and production-validation builds.
• Identify manufacturing risks early and drive mitigation plans to closure.
• Establish production-readiness criteria and support formal manufacturing readiness reviews.

MANUFACTURING PROCESS DEVELOPMENT

• Develop and validate manufacturing processes for mechanical assembly, electronics integration, adhesive bonding, fastening, soldering, calibration, software loading, functional testing, and final product acceptance.
• Define critical process parameters and product characteristics that affect safety, performance, reliability, and regulatory compliance.
• Create process specifications, work instructions, standard work, control plans, inspection requirements, and manufacturing bills of material.
• Design or specify production tooling, fixtures, error-proofing devices, and semi-automated equipment.
• Conduct process capability studies, gauge repeatability and reproducibility studies, and equipment qualification.
• Use statistical methods and structured experimentation to establish robust operating windows.

PRODUCTION SCALING AND OPTIMIZATION

• Translate production forecasts into labor, equipment, tooling,

[…]
uring environments.

Compensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $145,000 - $219,000*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

#LI-AR2

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/