Staff Mechanical Engineer

Skyways designs, builds, and operates fully autonomous long-range cargo aircraft. Founded in 2017, the company has spent the last eight years developing and deploying autonomous logistics systems for real-world operations.

Our V2 aircraft carries 30 lbs up to 500 miles, and V3 has a maximum range of well over 1,000 miles, a maximum useful load of 100 lbs, and a maximum endurance of nearly 20 hours. Both use a hybrid-electric architecture that takes off like a helicopter and cruises like a plane, enabling long-range autonomous delivery without traditional runway infrastructure.

Today, Skyways aircraft operate across three continents in controlled national airspace under FAA oversight and in support of U.S. military operations. We are transitioning from prototype development to full-rate production and scaling toward large autonomous cargo fleets.

Backed by Y Combinator and a $37M AFWERX STRATFI award from the U.S. Air Force, Skyways is creating a new form of transportation to advance our civilization from Austin, Texas.

The Opportunity

Skyways is hiring a Staff Mechanical Engineer to lead the architecture and development of critical aircraft systems. This role owns complex hardware from early concept through build, testing, and flight validation.

Staff engineers play a key role in defining mechanical design strategy across the aircraft, helping guide subsystem architecture, resolving system level challenges, and supporting engineers across the team. This role requires deep technical expertise and the ability to move quickly through design, build, and test cycles.

What You'll Do:

• Lead the architecture, design, integration, and validation of critical aircraft structures
• Own complex aircraft hardware from early concept through detailed design, prototype build, ground test, flight test, and iteration
• Drive system level integration across structures, avionics, propulsion, and payload systems, to resolve interface, packaging, and performance tradeoffs
• Partner closely with manufacturing to ensure designs are buildable, testable, and capable of scaling from prototype to repeatable production
• Participate in aircraft builds, integration efforts, and flight test campaigns
• Mentor engineers and help define engineering standards and best practices
• Help identify and resolve system level design challenges across the aircraft

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
• Deep experience designing aircraft or flight vehicle structures, mechanisms, and subsystem integration
• Track record of owning novel hardware from a blank page, including the first principles sizing, loads analysis, and trade studies that set the design, not just execution within an existing architecture
• Experience taking hardware from concept through build, testing, and deployment
• Strong system level thinking and ability to resolve complex integration challenges
• Strong track record of working directly with prototype builds, hardware integration, and test campaigns, not just analysis or documentation
• Ability to collaborate across engineering, manufacturing, and flight operations teams

Bonus Points:

• Experience with composite structures or lightweight aerospace systems
• Experience leading hardware development in robotics, aerospace, or autonomous systems
• Experience working in startup or rapid hardware development environments

In addition to base salary, offers include stock options, so you own part of what you build. Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, paid time off, paid holidays, a 401k, and life insurance.

Relocation assistance is available for candidates moving to Austin.

Want to join our mission? Apply to learn more!

Due to U.S. government contract requirements, this role is limited to U.S. citizens, U.S. permanent residents, or candidates from specific countries authorized under applicable export control regulations.

Skyways is an Equal Opportunity employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, protected veteran status or any other factor protected by applicable local, state or federal laws.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses and identifying potential inconsistencies or verification signals in application materials based on available information. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.