Associate Mechanical Design Engineer (Pelican)

About Pyka Pyka’s goal is to provide society with a new form of safe, clean, and cost-effective transportation enabled by autonomous electric aviation. To get there, we’re taking a different approach than most. We're applying our technologies to every industry where autonomous electric aircraft can be useful, starting with the highest value and most dangerous jobs. In doing so, we're building game-changing products manufactured at scale, while perfecting the safety, reliability, and capabilities of our autonomy engine and electric propulsion systems. We design, develop and manufacture an ecosystem of technologies including proprietary flight control software, avionics, high power density motors, motor controllers, batteries, and custom carbon-fiber composite airframes. Today, we supply autonomous electric aircraft for cargo transport and crop protection to real-world customers across four separate continents and have secured industry-first regulatory approvals from the FAA. Our cargo aircraft enables remote connectivity, enhances express delivery networks, and ensures fast and reliable shipping of critical supplies to areas in need. Our crop protection aircraft offers agricultural services providers and farmers an autonomous tool to make aerial application safer, more precise, and less harmful to surrounding environments. Both vehicles are highly economical to operate, easy to deploy, and significantly reduce CO2 emissions in their respective industries. What you work on at Pyka makes people’s lives better now and brings the future of electric aviation one step closer each day. Pyka is looking for an Associate Mechanical Design Engineer to join our experienced and enthusiastic team of engineers. In this role, you will bridge the gap between internship and autonomous engineering, taking on ownership of specific mechanical components and subsystems on the aircraft with the mentorship and support of senior team members. Our Mechanical Engineering team members work closely with Manufacturing Engineers, Flight Test Engineers, and other Mechanical Engineers to design, test, and iterate on mechanical components and assemblies. This role is fast-paced and highly impactful—the Pyka MDE team handles the same amount of hardware as teams 10x the size. You’ll have the opportunity to move quickly, significantly contribute to flight hardware, and accelerate your professional development and career growth. What you'll work on early on: Iterative Design: Improve the design of existing components for better manufacturability, usability, and durability under the guidance of senior engineers. Testing & Validation: Support the thorough environmental and structural validation of aircraft parts, materials, and assemblies. Root-Cause Analysis: Assist in the investigation, root-causing, and solution testing for hardware bugs that arise during field testing. Fleet Support: Actively participate in supporting our existing fleet of aircraft while learning the ropes for next-generation development. \n Responsibilities Act as the supporting or primary engineer for specific mechanical components, moving them from initial requirement definitions through prototyping, production, and field support. Collaborating closely with Senior Engineers on the conceptual design, prototyping, testing, and documentation of flight-critical mechanical parts and assemblies. Create and maintain 3D CAD models, detailed engineering drawings, and manufacturing documents with meticulous attention to detail. Work alongside manufacturing teams to build tools, jigs, and fixtures that facilitate the build of in-house parts and subsystems. Coordinate with external suppliers and fabricators to track parts, ensure quality, and manage timely delivery. Preferred Qualifications 1–2 years of experience in mechanical design (strong internship, co-op, or intensive university hands-on project team experience—like Formula SAE, DBF, or Rocketry—is highly valued). An inquisitive attitude with a strong desire to learn, research new topics, and rapidly iterate on designs. Exposure to or basic experience with designing and analyzing composite structures. Familiarity designing parts for common manufacturing processes (e.g., CNC machining, 3D printing, sheet metal, injection molding). Proficiency in any 3D CAD package (SolidWorks, NX, Inventor). Foundational understanding of hand calculations and basic FEA to validate design decisions (stress/strain, basic thermal, or fatigue). Excellent written and verbal communication skills; a proactive collaborator who isn't afraid to ask questions or seek clarification. Excitement to be in a prototyping shop building and testing things with your hands. Compensation & Benefits $79,000 - $95,000 + equity. Compensation will vary depending on location, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. Salary ranges are subject to change. Employer-sponsored health, dental and vision insurance FSA with employer matching 401(k) Paid holidays, generous PTO, and additional unpaid time off Voluntary short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance Pre-tax commuter benefits Free catered lunch and plenty of snacks \n Export Control Requirements This position requires access to technology, software and other information that is subject to governmental access control restrictions, due to export controls. Employment in this position is conditioned on the continued availability of government authorization to authorize release of such items, to the extent required, including without limitation an export license, or other documentation required to establish authorization to receive access to such items. Company may delay commencement of employment, rescind an offer of employment, terminate employment, and/or may modify job responsibilities, compensation, benefits, and/or access to Company facilities and information systems, as Company deems appropriate, in order to ensure compliance with applicable government access control restrictions. -- We do not work with external recruiters; if you are an external recruiter, please do not reach out.