AeroPerch is building the ground infrastructure that autonomous drone fleets need to operate at scale. Today most drones fly short missions and return to where they started, because there is nowhere along the way to recharge or offload data. Our field-deployed nodes give drones a place to land, charge wirelessly, exchange data and keep flying, turning one-off flights into continuous operations. Our first customers are in energy and critical infrastructure, with agriculture, public safety and defense to follow.
About the team
We are a small, early team with backgrounds in defense, aerospace and technology. The hardware team owns the node end to end: the wireless charging system, power electronics, enclosure and field integration. We move quickly from simulation to bench to field, and every engineer works hands-on across disciplines.
About the job
We are looking for a Mechanical Design Engineer to design the physical node and the receiver that mounts on each drone. Our nodes sit outdoors year-round on open, windy sites, so the enclosure has to be sealed, rugged, easy to install and affordable to build.
What you'll do
- Design the node enclosure, landing surface and mounting system for outdoor installation, from concept through production release
- Design small, lightweight receiver mounts that fit a range of drones and work around cameras and payloads
- Own thermal design for power electronics and batteries in a sealed enclosure
- Design for weather sealing, wind loading, corrosion and UV exposure
- Build and test prototypes using 3D printing, sheet metal and machined parts
- Create drawings and work with suppliers on manufacturing and cost reduction
Required qualifications
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
- 3+ years of mechanical design experience on hardware products
- Proficient with 3D CAD (SolidWorks, Creo, NX, Onshape or equivalent)
- Experience designing outdoor or ruggedized enclosures, including sealing to IP ratings
- Thermal design for electronics
- GD&T, drawings and design for manufacturing for sheet metal, plastics and machined parts
- Hands-on prototyping experience
- U.S. Person status is required, as this position requires access to export-controlled information
Preferred qualifications
- Structural, thermal or CFD analysis (FEA)
- Wind loading and structural mounting design
- Drone, aerospace or robotics hardware
- Charging equipment, telecom enclosures or energy storage products
- Experience working with contract manufacturers
- Cost-reduction projects on production hardware
AeroPerch is an equal opportunity employer. We consider all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, veteran status or any other protected status.