Position Summary

The Sr. Mechanical Engineering Manager is responsible for leading a team of mechanical engineers in the development, verification, and production release of quadcopter and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) platforms.

This role provides strategic, technical, and organizational leadership, ensuring the successful execution of mechanical system development from concept through production release while aligning departmental objectives with broader business goals. The Sr. Mechanical Engineering Manager works closely with Electrical, Software, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Product/Project Management, and executive leadership teams to deliver reliable, high-performance drone systems that meet customer and business objectives.

The successful candidate will establish departmental priorities, develop engineering leadership talent, drive organizational and technical excellence, and ensure designs achieve the optimal balance of performance, schedule, cost, manufacturability, quality, and scalability. This individual will lead cross-functional initiatives, drive continuous improvement, and build organizational capabilities to support long-term growth.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of mechanical engineers responsible for UAV and quadcopter platform development.


• Own departmental objectives, resource planning, budgets, and organizational capability development to support product and business goals.


• Establish engineering goals, priorities, and execution strategies aligned with company objectives and long-term organizational needs.


• Guide the mechanical architecture and integration strategy across drone airframes, propulsion systems, payloads, and ground support equipment.


• Lead cross-functional initiatives with Electrical, Software, Systems, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, and Product teams to ensure successful product integration and delivery.


• Develop organizational roadmaps, staffing strategies, succession plans, and risk mitigation approaches to support future growth.


• Guide the decomposition of product-level requirements into mechanical subsystem requirements and verification plans while ensuring alignment across teams.


• Direct engineering trade studies to evaluate technologies, materials, manufacturing methods, supplier solutions, and strategic development opportunities.


• Ensure implementation and continuous improvement of Design for Manufacturability (DFM), Design for Assembly (DFA), and Design for Test (DFT) best practices.


• Ensure accurate management of mechanical bills of materials (BOMs), product structures, and engineering documentation within PLM systems.


• Manage strategic relationships with external suppliers and development partners supporting mechanical subsystem development and organizational objectives.


• Drive transformational change initiatives, engineering best practices, standardization efforts, and operational excellence across the department.

Required Qualifications

• BS in Mechanical Engineering or Aerospace Engineering


• 10+ years of engineering leadership experience and 12+ years of mechanical engineering experience.


• Experience with CAD and PDM packages (SolidWorks preferred) and PLM systems (Arena preferred).


• Strong technical problem-solving and organizational decision-making skills.


• Excellent verbal, written, executive-level communication, and presentation skills.


• Ability to influence technical and business decisions across cross-functional teams and stakeholders.


• Strong strategic planning, prioritization, and execution skills.


• Experience managing engineering organizations, budgets, resources, and multi-project portfolios.


• Demonstrated ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced product development environment while balancing short- and long-term objectives.


• Understanding of engineering verification methodologies, product qualification processes, and organizational quality systems.


• Experience leading new product introduction (NPI) efforts, manufacturing scale-up activities, and cross-functional organizational initiatives.

Additional Desired Qualifications

• UAV or aerospace industry experience.


• Working knowledge of structural analysis, vibration, fatigue, dynamics, and heat transfer.

Physical Requirements and Working Conditions

• Must be able to walk, stand, and navigate large indoor and outdoor facilities for extended periods of time.


• Ability to lift, carry, and move materials and equipment weighing up to 25 lbs on a regular basis.


• Use of personal protective equipment (PPE) may be required in designated areas or when performing specific tasks, in accordance with safety protocols and company policy.


• May be required to climb ladders, stoop, kneel, or crouch during inspections, maintenance walk-throughs, or emergency response situations.


• Regular exposure to facility operations including noise, dust, temperature fluctuations, and industrial equipment.


• Occasional off-hours or weekend work required for emergency facility responses or projects as needed


• Requires frequent use of a computer and other standard office equipment for documentation, communication, and coordination tasks.

Background Check

This position will require successfully completing a post-offer background check. Qualified candidates with a criminal history will be considered and are not automatically disqualified, consistent with federal and state law.

EEO and ITAR/EAR Work Authorization Disclosure

Red Cat Holdings provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software, technology or technical data controlled under the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and the Export Administration Regulations (EAR). Successful candidates for positions subject to ITAR/EAR restrictions must provide proof of U.S. Citizenship or Permanent Residence and must not require sponsorship for export-restricted work authorization.

E-Verify

The company participates E-Verify ensure eligibility for employment and compliance with Right to Work rules.