Mechanical Design Engineer

Aquila is building the world's first optical energy network to keep drones and autonomous systems flying without limits. We're seeking a Mechanical/Aerospace Design Engineer to lead the design and integration of weight-optimised, aerodynamically efficient payloads for our high-performance optical wireless power receiver. You'll take concepts from simulation to flight, developing novel aerodynamic and thermal systems that meet demanding performance requirements in highly constrained environments. This role combines deep technical design with hands-on build, testing, and validation. You'll work across disciplines to turn first-principles insights into practical solutions that keep our UAVs flying further, faster, and cooler.

We value engineers who are curious, collaborative, and practical. If you enjoy solving hard problems, distilling complexity into clarity, and building systems that expand what's possible for UAVs, you'll thrive here.

• Own the end-to-end design, manufacture, assembly, and validation of custom aerodynamic and thermal components to integrate within an off-the-shelf fixed wing UAV platform.
  
• Perform CFD simulations and physical tests to evaluate aerodynamic performance of payload integration, inform and iterate on thermal design and payload integration.
  
• Develop efficient methods to feed flight test data back into aerodynamic simulation models of various fidelity.
  
• Collaborate with cross-functional engineers to contribute to an integrated fixed-wing design meeting challenging aerodynamic and thermal requirements.
  
• Contribute to the design of novel thermal systems to optimize heat transfer, packaging, and weight of an integrated thermal solution.
  
• Hands-on building/modification of fixed-wing UAVs, integrating custom aerodynamic and thermal components into airframe to support R&D.
  
• Perform mixed thermal/fluid simulations to validate thermal design performance in representative airflow conditions.
  
• Engage with suppliers/manufacturers to rapidly bring-up R&D components.
  
• Design and manufacture test-rigs to validate aerodynamic and thermal performance of designed components and off-the-shelf components.
  
• Document and communicate technical information clearly to support company-wide understanding.
  
• Act as subject matter expert and work with cross-functional teams to inform a holistic design approach.
  
• Draw from engineering principles to provide solutions that push engineering boundaries.
  
• Balance competing requirements in a large cross-functional project with many moving parts.
  
• Be energized by startup dynamics, rapid iteration, and shifting priorities where paths unfold through discovery.
  

• Foundational knowledge in aerodynamics principles and core design considerations for fixed-wing aircraft.
  
• Strong proficiency with CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Fluent, OpenFOAM).
  
• Experience using lower-order aerodynamic tools alongside CFD analysis and optimization.
  
• Experience in high-speed flow regimes or external aerodynamics.
  
• Experience with weight-sensitive design and mass optimization techniques.
  
• Strong mechanical engineering skills (GD&T, DFM, DFA) and CAD experience with surface modelling (SolidWorks, OnShape).
  
• Strong understanding of thermal management, heat exchangers, cooling systems, and high-power component thermal design.
  
• Strong analytical and practical hands-on fabrication skills.
  
• Proficiency in programming for data analysis/engineering calculations (Python, MATLAB).
  

We know great candidates may not meet every listed qualification. If you're excited by our mission and have relevant skills or experience, we encourage you to apply.

Please note: Employment at Aquila is subject to the successful completion of pre-employment screening, including reference checks and a national police check.

Marrickville, New South Wales, Australia

Employment type: Full-time

Seniority level: Entry level

Job function: Engineering and IT

Industries: Electric Power Transmission, Control, and Distribution