UAS Mechanical Engineer

Description

Statement to Applicants:
This position is unable to accommodate sponsorship

Central UAS Technologies, a vertical of Central Life Sciences, is dedicated to the creation of uncrewed aerial systems which have a direct positive impact on public health, quality of life and innovative technologies for the agricultural industry. Your meaningful work will help reduce the spread of vector-borne disease, as well as limit the amount of chemicals or emissions released into the environment (through rural and urban municipalities, agricultural applications, horticultural applications, and more!).

You'll accomplish this work from our assembly shop in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Our parent company is Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT and CENTA); we offer an amazing educational assistance program in addition to great medical, dental, vision, which you will be eligible the first of the month following 30 days, plus free life and free disability insurance. Our 401k has a 3% match, and you are eligible day one. We also offer pet insurance and other voluntary benefits.

Please see our website at  for additional company information.

The Mechanical Engineer (R&D) supports the structural and mechanical design of UAS platforms, including airframes, mounts, and protective structures. Working within the R&D organization, this role helps convert performance and integration requirements into mechanical solutions that are lightweight, durable, and production-ready.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Structural and Integration Design

* Participate in the design of frames, brackets, mounts, and enclosures that achieve required stiffness, vibration performance, and durability targets

* Work with Sr. Staff Mechanical and Integration Engineers to ensure that mechanical solutions support electrical, payload, and serviceability needs

CAD, Drawings, and Tolerancing

* Use CAD tools to generate models, assemblies, and detailed drawings with appropriate tolerancing

* Ensure that drawings and documentation support efficient manufacturing, inspection, and assembly at the production facility

Prototype Build and Test Support

* Support prototype fabrication, fit checks, and mechanical testing, capturing lessons learned and feeding them into design revisions.

* Participate in R&D and flight tests to observe mechanical performance, identify issues, and support rapid iteration

Manufacturability and Line Readiness

* Work with other Manufacturing Engineers to evaluate manufacturability of designs, adjust geometry or features to ease production, and ensure that fixtures and tools can reliably support assembly

* Contribute to design reviews with an explicit focus on production impact and cost

Documentation and Release

* Maintain up-to-date mechanical documentation and supports the transition of designs from R&D to controlled production baselines

* Ensure that part numbers, revisions, and associated files are cleanly handed off to documentation and quality teams.

QUALIFICATIONS

* Familiarity with UAS platforms, airframes, mounts, and mechanical integration

* CAD and solid-modeling experience

* Understanding of tolerancing, fit, and design for manufacturability

* Experience supporting prototype builds, test fits, or mechanical validation

* Ability to interpret engineering drawings, assemblies, and controlled documentation

* Strong collaboration skills with engineering, manufacturing, and quality teams

* Aircraft assembly, maintenance, or RC aircraft experience preferred

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

* BS/BA in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, UAS, or a related field

* 2+ years of professional, related experience

* Experience supporting mechanical design, prototype fabrication, or system integration

* Ability to read and work from engineering drawings and technical documentation

* Familiarity with mechanical assembly processes and shop practices in a prototype or production environment

* Experience with fit checks, mechanical testing, or design iteration support

* Valid driver's license required

WORKING CONDITIONS

* Based in a UAS assembly and engineering environment in Daytona Beach, Florida

* Frequent use of CAD software, hand tools, and prototype/shop equipment

* Work…