Mechanical Design Engineer [Propulsion]

Department: Engineering

Location: Long Beach CA

Compensation: $110K – $145K

Employment Type: FullTime

About Odys

Our mission at Odys is simple - we build safe, sustainable aircraft to cut travel time in half on the world's busiest corridors. Our flagship aircraft Alta enables travelers to skip the big-airport hassle by using city helipads and local airports to connect cities less than 1,000 miles apart (approx 40% of flights). And on average cut CO2 by 76% on tens of billions of flight miles globally.

To get there, we start with our UAV called Laila for commercial logistics, medical transport, humanitarian aid, disaster relief, and defense missions. We’re deploying aircraft with launch partners (Fiji Airways, Honeywell, Aramex, US Navy) beginning in 2026 and already have firm orders for aircraft under contract.

We’re a team of expert engineers from deep tech and aerospace that focus on fast iterations loops (completed transition flight faster than our peers) combined with mastery of the aircraft certification process. Previously, our team developed custom drones, brought multiple automotive platforms into production, and electrified transportation vehicles that magnetically levitate, that roll, that fly. Together, we’ve been learning, developing, building, testing, and preparing for this challenge our entire lives.

About The Role

Odys Aviation is seeking a mid level Mechanical Design Engineer to join our Propulsion Team. In this role, you will design, analyze, and integrate mechanical and thermal systems that support high-power hybrid-electric propulsion, including motors, generators, inverters, turbines and their supporting structures and cooling systems.

You’ll work closely with electrical, manufacturing, test, and flight teams to take hardware from early concept through prototype build, test, and iteration. This is a hands-on role with meaningful ownership and a strong growth path as our propulsion systems mature and move toward production.

Don't meet all desired requirements? Studies have shown that some people are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single desired qualification. At Odys, we are dedicated to building an authentic workplace, so if you're excited about this role but your past experience doesn't align perfectly with every desired qualification in the job description, we encourage you to apply anyway.

What You’ll Do

1. Own the mechanical design and integration of propulsion components and subsystems (motors, generators, inverters, turbines, structures and cooling systems)

2. Drive resolution of real hardware issues discovered during prototype and early production builds

3. Create and maintain 3D CAD models and 2D drawings, including GD&T and tolerance stackups

4. Perform DFM/DFA trade studies, balancing weight, cost, thermal performance, reliability, and manufacturability

5. Work with suppliers and internal teams to assess manufacturing feasibility, refine designs, and rapidly resolve build issues

6. Support hands-on prototype assembly, integration, and test, including debugging and root cause analysis

7. Conduct engineering analysis using a mix of hand calculations and FEA to inform design decisions

8. Implement and refine thermal management strategies (air and/or liquid cooling, heat sinks, TIMs, enclosures, insulation)

9. Translate test data and build feedback into actionable design improvements

10. Document designs, analyses, and design changes clearly to support team alignment and future production

What We’re Looking For

1. B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related field

2. 4+ years of experience in mechanical design of complex systems (or equivalent demonstrated capability)

3. Experience owning the design of a critical assembly or subsystem from concept through build, test, and iteration

4. Proficiency in 3D CAD (NX preferred) and creating production-quality drawings with GD&T

5. Strong understanding of tolerance stack-ups and real-world fit/integration challenges

6. Experience designing for a range of manufacturing processes (machining, sheet metal, additive, etc.)

7. Hands-on experience building, testing, and troubleshooting hardware

8. Comfortable working on electromechanical systems (motors, power electronics, rotating machinery, batteries, cooling systems, etc.)

9. Demonstrated ability to debug issues, perform root cause analysis, and drive corrective actions

10. Experience working in fast-paced, iterative hardware development environments

11. Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and bias toward action

12. Clear communicator who collaborates effectively across multidisciplinary teams

Nice to Have

1. Experience with propulsion systems or electromechanical systems

2. Familiarity with rotating machinery, vibration, and structural dynamics considerations

3. Background in thermal management of high-power systems (liquid cooling, forced air, heat exchangers)

4. Experience performing thermal and/or structural analysis (FEA, analytical modeling, or CFD)

5. Experience supporting prototype builds and early production environments

6. Familiarity with PLM systems (Teamcenter preferred)

7. Background in aerospace, automotive (EV/powertrain), robotics, or similar high-performance hardware industries