Mechanical Engineer

At Skyways, we are building the next generation of autonomous air transportation. Our fully autonomous unmanned aircraft systems move cargo faster and more efficiently than traditional logistics networks.

Backed by strong investor support and a $37M STRATFI contract from the U.S. Air Force, we operate at the intersection of commercial logistics and national defense. Our aircraft are not just prototypes—we design, build, fly, and deploy them with real customers today.

Based in Austin and supported by investors including Y Combinator, Skyways combines rapid engineering iteration with real-world operations. As we scale toward larger deployments, we are looking for people who want to help build and operate the future of autonomous aviation.

The Opportunity

Skyways is hiring Mechanical Engineers to help design and build the physical systems that make our aircraft fly. Engineers in this role work directly with hardware and see their designs move quickly from concept to prototype, aircraft integration, ground testing, and flight.

You will design components, support aircraft builds, and help test and improve hardware based on real world performance. The role sits close to manufacturing and flight operations, giving engineers direct feedback on how their designs perform in the field.

This role is a strong fit for engineers who enjoy building real hardware and iterating quickly through the full design, build, and test cycle.

What You'll Do:

• Design mechanical components and assemblies for aircraft structures and subsystem integration
• Build prototypes, support aircraft integration, and iterate designs based on manufacturing, testing, and flight performance
• Create CAD models, drawings, and documentation used during aircraft builds
• Work closely with electrical, software, manufacturing, and flight teams to ensure hardware performs reliably in real operations
• Design test stands, write test plans, and conduct test campaigns to characterize subsystem performance

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related field
• Experience designing mechanical components and assemblies using CAD tools such as SolidWorks or similar
• Experience building or prototyping hardware and working directly with physical systems during integration or testing
• Strong problem solving skills and first principles
• Comfort working in a fast moving engineering environment where designs evolve quickly
• Ability to collaborate across engineering disciplines to solve system level problems
• Interest in working on aircraft, robotics, or other complex hardware systems

Bonus Points:

• Experience designing and building hardware for aerospace, robotics, or autonomous systems
• Experience supporting prototype builds, integration, or hardware testing
• Experience with composite structures or lightweight mechanical systems
• Startup or early stage hardware company experience where engineers work directly with builds and testing

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. 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.