Senior Mechanical Engineer, Autonomous Vehicles

Aerovect

South San Francisco, US

On-site

Who this role is best for

Aimed at senior mechanical engineers with hands-on design experience who thrive in fast-moving startup environments.

Best fit for

Mechanical engineers with expertise in vehicle system integration and rapid prototyping.
— “design and integrate mechanical systems that enable autonomous driving”
Candidates who excel in collaborative, fast-paced settings and mentoring junior team members.
— “highly collaborative, fast-paced role where you’ll shape the foundation”
Engineers with strong DFM/DFA knowledge and experience in mechanical testing.
— “Proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks or similar) and strong DFM/DFA knowledge”

Things to consider

Expect hands-on work from concept to integration, requiring full project ownership.
— “take full ownership of projects, from concept to integration”
Role involves close collaboration with multiple engineering teams for system integration.
— “Collaborate closely with hardware, software, and systems teams”

How to stand out

Showcase specific examples of production-ready mechanical designs you've led.
— “bring robust, production-ready solutions to life”
Highlight projects where you mentored junior engineers or established design best practices.
— “Mentor junior engineers and guide design best practices”
Demonstrate rapid iteration cycles in past prototyping work.
— “Rapidly prototype, test, and iterate designs”

Pace · Fast PacedCollaboration · HighAutonomy · MediumDecision Impact · TeamLevel · Senior

Derived from job-description analysis by Serendipath's career intelligence engine.

What success looks like

design and integration of mechanical systems
validation and troubleshooting of retrofitted vehicles

Typical background

mechanical engineeringautonomous driving

Skills & requirements

Required

Mechanical DesignCAD ToolsDfm/dfaPrototypingAssembly

Preferred

Thermal ConsiderationsPackaging Considerations

Stack & domain

SolidworksCad ToolsDfm/dfaCommunicationProblem-solvingAutonomous DrivingMechanical Systems

About the role

Original posting from Aerovect via Ashby

WHO WE ARE
AeroVect is transforming ground handling with autonomy, redefining how airlines and ground service providers around the globe run day-to-day operations. We are a Series A company backed by top-tier venture capital investors in aviation and autonomous driving. Our customers include some of the world’s largest airlines and ground handling providers. For more information, visit www.aerovect.com http://www.aerovect.com.
The Role
As a Senior Mechanical Engineer, you’ll design and integrate mechanical systems that enable autonomous driving on production vehicles. You’ll take full ownership of projects, from concept to integration, working hands-on to bring robust, production-ready solutions to life. This is a highly collaborative, fast-paced role where you’ll shape the foundation of our upcoming hardware design and integration efforts.
You Will
Design and integrate custom mechanical systems for sensors, computing, and autonomous hardware
Rapidly prototype, test, and iterate designs to validate performance and manufacturability
Lead assembly, validation, and troubleshooting of retrofitted vehicles
Collaborate closely with hardware, software, and systems teams to ensure seamless integration
Mentor junior engineers and guide design best practices across the team
You Have
4+ years of hands-on mechanical design experience
Proficiency with CAD tools (SolidWorks or similar) and strong DFM/DFA knowledge
Experience with prototyping, fabrication, and mechanical testing
Understanding of structural, thermal, and packaging considerations for vehicle systems
Strong ownership mindset, problem-solving skills, and attention to detail
Excellent collaboration and communication in a fast-moving, startup environment

Source: Aerovect careers (Ashby)