Apply on Employer Site

Saildrone · 2 weeks ago

Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager

Alameda, CA

Full-time

Onsite

Senior Level, Lead/Staff

$189K/yr - $243K/yr

10+ years exp

Saildrone is a leader in unmanned surface vehicles, providing critical intelligence in challenging ocean environments. The Senior Mechanical Engineering Manager will lead the mechanical engineering team in designing electro-mechanical systems for USV platforms, ensuring high-quality execution and documentation while mentoring the team and collaborating with other engineering disciplines.

Artificial Intelligence (AI)Big DataDronesManufacturingMarine Technology

No H1B

Responsibilities

Lead the mechanical engineering team, including assignment of work, priority setting, and daily technical support

Define and enforce mechanical engineering quality standards, workflows, documentation practices, and release processes

Ensure consistency and rigor in CAD modeling, tolerance analysis, assembly detailing, and revision control

Run mechanical design reviews to ensure designs meet performance, manufacturability, serviceability, and reliability requirements

Review part and assembly drawings for clarity, accuracy, and adherence to GD&T internal standards

Ensure robustness of mechanical systems under dynamic load, vibration, corrosion, thermal cycling, and long-duration ocean deployment

Translate product requirements into mechanical design plans, schedules, and deliverables

Collaborate closely with Electrical, Firmware, Vehicle Software, Systems Engineering, and NPI teams to ensure smooth integration

Support issue triage and root cause analysis during prototype, production, and sustaining product development phases

Mentor, develop, and elevate mechanical engineering talent across all levels

Build and reinforce a culture of ownership, precision, and rapid iteration

Recruit and scale the team to meet increasing demand for design rigor and to support business growth

Partner with NPI, Supply Chain, and Manufacturing Engineering to ensure designs are manufacturable, cost-effective and production-ready

Support prototype and pilot production build phases to enable proof of concept, requirements validation, and design for manufacturing efforts

Qualification

Mechanical EngineeringCAD ModelingDesign for ManufacturingElectro-Mechanical AssembliesThermal AnalysisMaterial SelectionTeam DevelopmentLeadershipCommunicationDocumentation

Required

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related discipline

10+ years of experience designing complex mechanical systems; 3+ years in an engineering leadership role

Strong proficiency in CAD modeling, drawing creation and mechanical design fundamentals (material selection and coatings, structural design, thermal analysis, fastener selection, sealing methodologies, BOM management, etc.)

Experience designing hardware for harsh outdoor or mission-critical environments (maritime, aerospace, defense, robotics, automotive, etc.)

Experience with electro-mechanical assemblies, servo motors, embedded devices, pcba enclosures, cooling systems, and composite materials

Hands-on experience in design, build, and test cycles resulting in products with a high level of polish and reliability

Proven track record of delivering high value products to market

Excellent communication, documentation, and technical review discipline

Thrives in fast-paced environments where clarity, urgency, and precision matter