Lead Mechanical Engineer

Job Description

Job Description

About the Company

At SiFly, we're building a new category of aircraft: vertical-takeoff, long-endurance drones that deliver helicopter-level performance at drone economics. After thousands of flight tests and years of engineering, our NDAA-compliant platform flies more than 2 hours in hover or 3 hours in forward flight on a single charge — matching the capability of traditional helicopters at a fraction of their cost and operational burden. We merge aerial robotics, perception, and onboard intelligence to cut complexity and minimize human intervention, and our unique approach to communications and networking unlocks remote operations from day one. It's an ambitious mission, and we're a small team that moves fast.

About the Role

We are seeking a hands-on Manufacturing Test Engineer to develop, deploy, and support production test systems for complex electromechanical products. The successful candidate must have direct experience supporting products through NPI, production ramp, sustained manufacturing, and customer shipment; experience limited to R&D, prototype, or laboratory test is not sufficient. The role covers PCBAs, embedded electronics, motors/actuators, sensors, communications, and complete electromechanical systems. Modern AI-assisted engineering tools are expected to be used to accelerate test development, troubleshooting, data analysis, and documentation, with the engineer retaining full responsibility for validation and production release.

Responsibilities

• Develop, validate, deploy, and maintain automated production test systems for PCBAs, subassemblies, and finished products.

• Define test station architecture, test protocols, coverage, limits, fixtures, instrumentation, interfaces, software, data collection, and pass/fail criteria.

• Develop, modify, and debug automated test software for DUT communication, instrument control, test sequencing, data acquisition, analysis, and result traceability.

• Partner with Engineering during NPI and Design for Test (DFT) reviews to convert engineering verification methods into robust production tests.

• Improve test cycle time, throughput, first-pass yield (FPY), test coverage, and overall production efficiency.

• Establish test-system validation and measurement controls, including GR&R, correlation, repeatability/reproducibility, calibration, and preventive maintenance.

• Support MES/serial-number traceability, production test records, failure analysis, root-cause investigations, corrective actions, and production-floor troubleshooting.

• Use modern AI-assisted engineering tools to accelerate test protocols, test software/debugging, station development, failure analysis, data analysis, and documentation while maintaining engineering ownership and validation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Mechatronics, Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, or related discipline; equivalent relevant technical education and experience may be considered.

• 5+ years of manufacturing test engineering experience with complex electronic/electromechanical products.

• Required: direct experience with products that have been built, tested, released, and shipped to customers in a production environment.

• Experience supporting NPI, production launch/ramp, and sustained manufacturing.

• Experience developing production test solutions for PCBAs and electromechanical systems, including test fixtures and station architecture.

• Strong hands-on troubleshooting skills across hardware, firmware/software, electrical, and electromechanical systems.

• Experience with production test instrumentation, test-system validation, GR&R, calibration, test correlation, MES/data collection, and serial-number traceability.

• Demonstrated ability to use modern AI-assisted engineering/software tools and independently review, debug, and validate AI-assisted outputs.

• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally as required to support test system deployment, production builds, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.

Required Skills

• Manufacturing test engineering for complex electronic/electromechanical products.

• Development of production test solutions for PCBAs and electromechanical systems, including test fixtures and station architecture.

• Hands-on troubleshooting across hardware, firmware/software, electrical, and electromechanical systems.

• Use of production test instrumentation, test-system validation, GR&R, calibration, test correlation, MES/data collection, and serial-number traceability.

• Use of modern AI-assisted engineering/software tools with independent review, debugging, and validation of AI-assisted outputs.

• Ability and willingness to travel domestically and internationally to support test system deployment, production builds, suppliers, and contract manufacturers.

Preferred Skills

• Experience with UAVs/drones, robotics, autonomous systems, industrial automation, consumer electronics, or other motorized products.

• Experience testing motors/ESCs, batteries/BMS, sensors, cameras, navigation/RF systems, embedded electronics, and PCBA functional test.

• Experience with CMs/EMS providers, manufacturing transfers, PFMEA/control plans, and deployment of test systems across multiple manufacturing locations.

Pay range and compensation package

Details Onsite in Santa Clara, CA.

Equal Opportunity Statement

We are committed to diversity and inclusivity.