Mechanical Engineer - Propulsion

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 late 2025 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 pioneering next-generation hybrid-electric aircraft to make sustainable high-speed regional travel a reality. This role focuses on the mechanical packaging, thermal management, and manufacturability of high-speed generators, propulsion motors, power inverters, battery enclosures, and hybrid-electric powertrain systems - for our UAV (Laila) and eVTOL (Alta) programs. You will play a key role in integrating these components into Odys' next-generation aircraft, ensuring high efficiency, durability, and compliance with aerospace standards.

In this hands-on position, you will collaborate with electrical engineers, aircraft structural design experts, and certification teams to ensure your mechanical solutions conform to aerospace standards and best practices. The ideal candidate will thrive in fast-paced development cycles, be comfortable with quick design iterations, and have a strong ability to adapt to evolving system requirements. This is a hands-on role with full design cycle ownership, from conceptualization to hardware validation, contributing directly to Odys’s rapid path to flight testing and production aircraft roll-out.

Responsibilities

• Design and optimize powertrain packaging, ensuring efficient space utilization and seamless integration into the aircraft.

• Develop thermal management solutions, including heat dissipation strategies, liquid and air cooling systems, and materials selection for packaging and mounting high-power components.

• Support the mechanical design and integration of high-speed motors and turbo-machinery, ensuring rotor dynamics, vibration control, and optimum packaging.

• Work closely with electrical, and aircraft mechanical teams to ensure system compatibility and manufacturability.

• Conduct structural, dynamic, and thermal FEA simulations to validate designs and optimize performance.

• Create 3D models and 2D fabrication drawings in CAD (SolidWorks, Siemens NX), ensuring compliance with GD&T and tolerance stack-up analysis.

• Work with vendors and suppliers to source components, ensuring manufacturability and quality control.

• Develop and assemble test rigs for subsystem and system-level powertrain testing.

• Support the transition from prototype to production, addressing DFM (Design for Manufacturability) and DFA (Design for Assembly) considerations.

• Ensure compliance with aviation industry standards and contribute to relevant certification efforts.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, or a related field.

• 3+ years of experience in mechanical design, powertrain packaging, and aerospace or automotive integration.

• Proficiency in SolidWorks, Siemens NX, and PLM software for CAD modeling and drawing management.

• Strong understanding of thermal management, including heat exchangers, cooling system design, and thermal protection for high-power components.

• Experience with high-speed rotating machinery, including shaft design, bearings, seals, and rotor dynamics.

• Familiarity with manufacturing methods and assembly procedures, including CNC machining, composites, sheet metal, and additive manufacturing.

• Ability to work independently while collaborating with multidisciplinary teams.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in aerospace powertrain development, particularly in high-speed generators and hybrid-electric propulsion.

• Strong background in battery enclosure design, motor and power electronics packaging.

• Familiarity with aviation certification standards and compliance processes.

• Experience in HV system packaging, EMI shielding, and insulation strategies.

• Hands-on experience assembling and integrating prototype aircraft or test rigs.

• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills to drive data-driven decisions