Experience: 10+ Years

Location: Gurugram

Department: Engineering / R&D;

Reporting To: CEO / Head of R&D;

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Head – Mechanical Engineering to lead mechanical design, structural development, packaging, integration and qualification of complex systems for defence and aerospace programmes.

The candidate will lead the mechanical engineering team, own key design decisions, coordinate manufacturing and outsourced engineering vendors, and take mechanical systems from concept through detailed design, prototype, qualification and production.

Projects include Tethered aerostat and radar platforms, Underwater Communication Systems,AUV systems, UAV/avionics platforms and surveillance systems.

Previous hands-on experience in defence, aerospace or military-grade engineering programmes is mandatory.

Key Responsibilities Technical Leadership & Team Management

● Lead and mentor mechanical design, structural and manufacturing engineers across multiple projects.

● Define system mechanical architecture, structural concepts, packaging philosophy and interface requirements.

● Allocate engineering activities and ensure project milestones, technical reviews and deliverables are achieved.

● Conduct concept, PDR/CDR, manufacturing and test-readiness reviews.

● Coordinate closely with electronics, RF, firmware, systems and manufacturing teams.

● Identify mechanical risks and drive technical decisions and corrective actions.

Mechanical Design & Analysis

● Lead/review 3D modelling, detailed drawings, GD&T;, tolerance stack-up and engineering calculations.

● Design/review structural frames, payload enclosures, LRUs, equipment racks, brackets, housings, mounts and mechanisms.

● Perform/review structural, static, agile, vibration, shock and thermal analyses.

● Apply FEA for structural integrity, deformation, modal response, fatigue and optimisation.

● Ensure appropriate material selection considering strength, weight, corrosion, environment and manufacturability.

● Design ruggedised solutions suitable for airborne, naval, underwater and field-deployed environments.

● Ensure mechanical designs consider thermal management, ingress protection, sealing, vibration isolation and maintainability.

Manufacturing & Vendor Management

● Coordinate with external vendors for machining, sheet-metal fabrication, composites, welding, casting, surface treatment and specialised manufacturing.

● Prepare technical drawings, manufacturing specifications,



SOWs and acceptance criteria.

● Evaluate and review vendor designs, manufacturing processes, tooling and first-article components.

● Monitor vendor quality, timelines, manufacturing tolerances and delivery.

● Lead DFM/DFA activities and optimise designs for production, cost and repeatability.

● Support development of fixtures, jigs, assembly tooling and production documentation.

Qualification & Reliability

● Lead structural, environmental, vibration, shock, temperature and mechanical qualification activities.

● Experience with applicable defence/aerospace standards such as MIL-STD-810, JSS 55555, RTCA DO-160 or equivalent environmental requirements.

● Prepare/review qualification plans, test procedures, compliance matrices and test reports.

● Coordinate with certification, inspection and customer quality teams during qualification and acceptance.

● Conduct design FMEA, failure analysis and corrective-action activities.

System Integration & Field Trials

● Lead mechanical integration of electronics, sensors, antennas, payloads, power systems and other subsystems.

● Ensure interface compliance between mechanical, electrical and system-level assemblies.

● Support prototype assembly, system integration, field trials and qualification testing.

● Resolve mechanical issues identified during trials and customer acceptance.

● Maintain drawings, BOMs, interface documents, design calculations and configuration records.

Mandatory Qualification & Experience

● B.E./B.Tech in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent discipline. M.Tech preferred.

● 10+ years of mechanical product/system development experience, preferably in defence or aerospace.

● Minimum 3 years leading a mechanical engineering/design team.

● Prior experience working on defence/aerospace projects is mandatory.

● Strong hands-on mechanical design and engineering analysis capability.

● Expertise in 3D CAD and engineering drawings using SolidWorks, Creo, CATIA, NX or equivalent.

● Strong understanding of GD&T;, tolerance analysis, materials,



manufacturing processes and assembly design.

● Experience with structural/thermal FEA using ANSYS, Abaqus, Nastran or equivalent tools.

● Experience taking products from concept through prototype, qualification and production.

● Prior involvement in environmental/structural qualification or certification of defence/aerospace equipment.

● Experience coordinating outsourced design and manufacturing vendors.

Technical Knowledge

Candidate should have strong knowledge of:

● Structural design and load calculations.

● Static, dynamic, modal, vibration and shock analysis.

● Fatigue and structural reliability.

● Thermal management and heat-transfer fundamentals.

● Sheet metal, CNC machining, welding, composites, casting and additive manufacturing.

● Material selection including aluminium alloys, steels, composites and engineering polymers.

● Corrosion protection, coatings and surface-treatment processes.

● Environmental sealing, IP-rated enclosure design and ruggedisation.

● Lightweight design and structural optimisation.

● Mechanical packaging of electronics and avionics equipment.

Preferred Experience

● Experience with DRDO, HAL, BEL, DPSUs, Indian Armed Forces or defence OEMs.

● Mechanical development of UAVs, aerostats, radar systems, underwater platforms, surveillance systems or similar equipment.

● Experience with airborne structures, payload mounting systems and ruggedised equipment.

● Exposure to underwater pressure housings, watertight enclosures and corrosion-resistant design.

● Experience with composite structures and lightweight aerospace design.

● Knowledge of configuration management, defence documentation and production quality processes.

Leadership Competencies

● Strong engineering judgement and design-review capability.

● Ability to lead and grow a multidisciplinary mechanical team.

● Strong analytical and structured problem-solving ability.

● Effective vendor management and manufacturing coordination.

● Ability to manage multiple programmes and aggressive development schedules.

● Strong communication with engineering teams, customers and external partners.

● Willingness to travel for manufacturing reviews, integration and field trials.

Critical Selection Criteria: Defence/aerospace project experience, strong mechanical design and analysis capability, team leadership, vendor management and prior qualification/testing experience are mandatory.

📌 Head – Mechanical Engineering (Defence & Aerospace) (Gurugram)
🏢 Airbotix Technology
📍 Gurugram