Mechanical Engineer

Saildrone designs and manufactures wind and solar powered autonomous surface vehicles called Saildrones, which make cost-effective ocean data collection possible at scale.

We are working with governments, civic agencies, foundations, universities and private companies around the globe to drive better information about our oceans and seas - be it in mapping out the ocean floor, collecting new CO2 data in hard-to-reach areas, counting bio-mass to establish fishing quotas, or detecting and stopping illegal fishing and drug trafficking.

We believe that better inputs in planetary models in turn yield better outputs and that the new insights gained in weather forecasting, carbon cycling, global fishing and climate change will have tremendous impact on humanity.

We are based in Alameda, CA and are backed by Social Capital, The Capricorn Investment Group, Lux Capital, Horizons Venture and The Schmidt Family Foundation.

The Role

We are seeking a hands-on Mechanical Engineer to help develop new components, mechanisms and assemblies for our existing and under development vehicles. Mechanical Engineers are responsible for deriving requirements, creating concepts, performing required hand calcs or testing, creating CAD models/ assemblies, making drawings and designing any tooling or fixturing needed to ensure parts are consistently made as the design intended.

Our small, close-knit team offers leadership visibility and the chance to have a direct impact on the hardware we sail around the world to collect first-in-class data. You will be a part of a team of talented individuals who are just as passionate about supporting one another as they are about our planetary mission. Honesty and the ability to accept feedback are critical, as are a sense of humor and the general ability to have fun!

Key Responsibilities

• Own the design and development of mechanical systems and any required tooling.
• Perform basic hand calculations on designs and create component validation tests if necessary.
• Be responsible for project completion from early conception through design and production.
• Exemplify technical excellence and be accountable for your work.

Qualifications

Required Skills & Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in an engineering discipline (preferably mechanically focused).
• Experience with CAD software packages and excellent fundamentals of mechanical design concepts (Solidworks is used at Saildrone).
• Experience designing for a variety of manufacturing processes including welding, composite layups, CNC machining, 3d printing and structural bonding.
• Comfortable with/ willing to learn manual fabrication tools (Mill, lathe, basic shop tools).
• 5+ years of hands-on experience driving the design and development of mechanical components or systems.

Desired Skills:

• Involvement with a demanding engineering or project team (FSAE, BAJA, Design-Build-Fly etc.)
• Experience with GD&T and creating complete drawing packages.
• Experience designing production level tooling and weld fixtures.
• Strong ability to make fast decisions using available data.
• Proactive problem-solving skills.
• Experience in a fast-paced R&D and manufacturing setting.

Location

This position is in Alameda, CA. Only candidates with proper permits to work in the United States can be considered.  Our waterfront office offers beautiful views of San Francisco Bay in always sunny Alameda. Even our walls have good karma, our offices mix software development with a hardware production line in the former airplane hangar used to film 'The Matrix'.

Benefits

• Medical, dental and vision plans for you and your dependents
• Active sailing classes: become a certified skipper on boats up to 35ft!  (once COVID safety allows)
• Short and relaxing ferry ride from the Ferry Building for SF residents
• Enhanced paternity / maternity programs
• Competitive benefits including excellent medical, discounted gym, life insurance, 401k plan

More about Saildrone

This is an exciting opportunity with a fast-growing post series-B startup at the cutting-edge intersection of big data services and autonomous hardware. You will be an integral part of a high-performing multi-disciplinary delivering high impact for humanity and future generations.

You can read the latest about us:

• Saildrone Surveyor Launch (Jan 2021)
• Washington Post: Four autonomous vessels sailed the Arctic to more precisely map its seafloor(Oct 2020)
• USNI: Coast Guard Begins At-Sea Testing of Unmanned Surface Vehicles to Tackle Illegal Fishing, Crime (Oct 2020)
• Forbes: Five Ways Saildrone’s ‘Satellites Of The Seas’ Could Transform Mauritius Oil Spill Response (Sept 2020)
• Maritime Executive: Due to COVID-19, NOAA Uses Drones Instead of Ships for Fishery Survey (June 2020)
• Or watch some of our videos: Bloomberg:  The Robots Roaming the High Seas

Saildrone is an equal opportunity workplace dedicated to pursuing and hiring a diverse workforce.