# Product Design Engineer Intern

**Company:** [Skydio](https://hotfix.jobs/companies/skydio)
**Location:** San Mateo, CA
**Role:** Hardware Engineering
**Salary:** $85k – $121k/yr
**Experience:** 0+ years
**Skills:** 3d cad, CATIA, injection molding, metal casting, cnc machining, sheet metal forming, composites, DFM, mechanical design, Prototyping, testing
**Posted:** 2026-07-28

> Skydio seeks a Product Design Engineer Intern to design mechanical parts and prototypes for autonomous drones. Work on creative problem-solving, root cause analysis, manufacturing process improvements, hands-on validation, and cross-functional collaboration. Requires strong mechanical design fundamentals and 3D CAD experience.

## Job Description

## On the Job
- Conquer challenges creatively with a scrappy mindset
- Design parts for next generation prototypes
- Chase down the root cause of mission critical issues on existing or developing products
- Find solutions with engineering design or manufacturing process changes
- Validate your solutions with hands-on prototyping, testing, and data collection
- Communicate with a cross functional team of engineers and suppliers around the globe
- Present your work in design reviews and learn from senior members of our team

## Requirements
- Relentless curiosity
- Ability to leverage rock solid fundamentals to create exceptional designs for complicated products
- Passion for elegant mechanical design at the highest and lowest levels of detail that will delight customers
- Experience with 3D CAD. Familiarity with CATIA is highly valued.

## Nice-to-Haves
- How to design for a broad array of manufacturing processes including: injection molding, metal casting, CNC machining, sheet metal forming, and composites.
- How to complete DFM (design-for-manufacturing) with local and foreign suppliers
- How to design and integrate circuit boards, antennas, and connectors into mechanical assemblies

## Past Projects (Examples)
- **Gimbal Isolation**: Design, simulate, re-design, DFM, and kick-off tooling for Skydio X10 gimbal vibration isolators
- **Scrappy Wind Tunnel**: Research what it takes to make a wind tunnel. Build a wind tunnel. Use the wind tunnel to learn about aerodynamic forces on a drone to inform design improvements.
- **Drone Battery Charger**: Create prototypes for the battery charger for Skydio 2. Perform user studies, come up with a thermal solution, architect the product, and work on cosmetic surfacing.

## Compensation
The hourly rate for this position is $41 for Undergrad, $53 for Graduate students, and $58 for PhD students. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. In addition to base salary, Skydio full-time employees are eligible to enroll in our benefit plans and take advantage of a variety of incentives and stipends.

## Similar roles

- [Associate Metallurgical Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/5941a28f-cb41-4d1c-96e7-3e217c3e9433) - Mariana Minerals - San Francisco, CA - $85k – $95k/yr
- [Manufacturing Engineer](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/50689f3b-9336-406d-ad08-ef3c03925e01) - Crusoe - Tulsa, OK - $85k – $95k/yr
- [Associate Engineer, Manufacturing (R4637)](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/af78fac8-3787-4088-a9d6-87f690cd04af) - Shield AI - Dallas, TX - $85k – $127k/yr
- [Electrical Engineering Spring Co-op (January 2027) (R4475)](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/8c6601c7-6b63-48ab-9ea8-c9b8c83f62fc) - Shield AI - Dallas, TX - $83k – $116k/yr
- [Engineer II, Structural Analysis](https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/808783bc-7fc8-48b3-8979-78c85d9384f2) - Shield AI - San Diego, CA - $88k – $130k/yr

**Apply:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/5f8b253c-5054-4596-ad02-ceaa22748b3e
**Canonical:** https://hotfix.jobs/jobs/5f8b253c-5054-4596-ad02-ceaa22748b3e