Lead, Mechanical Engineering

Rainmaker is pioneering a modern cloud seeding system to solve water scarcity and inclement weather problems. We develop and incorporate radar validation, weather-resistant UAS, numerical weather modeling, and sustainable cloud seeds into an effective precipitation enhancement solution.

The Engineering team at Rainmaker works on our UAS, dispersion payload, and in-situ/remote sensing systems. If you are interested in working in an extremely innovative and fast-paced environment, where your work directly makes an impact and difference in our operational system, this is a fantastic opportunity.

This role combines hands-on individual contribution with technical leadership — you'll own hardware from concept to production while also guiding and reviewing the work of other engineers on the team.

What You'll Do

People & Org Leadership

• Direct reports: Manage a team of mechanical engineers — set goals, run performance reviews, provide mentorship and career development.
• Cross-functional collaboration: Partner closely with Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, and Test teams to align on design intent, manufacturability, and program timelines — resolving cross-team technical trade-offs as they arise.
• Resource allocation: Prioritize and assign engineering resources across concurrent projects and subsystems based on program needs and timelines.
• Hiring: Partner with recruiting and the Program Manager on hiring plans, participate in interviews, and make hiring recommendations for open roles on the team.
• Org scaling: Help define team structure, processes, and technical standards as the engineering org grows; identify gaps in coverage and staffing needs ahead of program milestones.

Technical & Individual Contribution

• Project ownership: Personally own select parts/subsystems from concept to production, including UAS structures, dispersion payload hardware, and field-emplaced infrastructure.
• Technical direction: Set design standards and review FEA/CAD work across the team; make final calls on technical trade-offs for your group's subsystems.
• Rapid hardware prototyping: Design and build functional prototypes, iterating quickly based on test feedback and mission requirements.
• Test fixture design: Conceptualize, design, build, and run test fixtures for prototype components.
• FEA: Define loading/boundary conditions, run and validate studies (linear static, linear dynamic, nonlinear dynamic, thermal); review team output for quality.
• Documentation: Write technical documentation and prepare fabrication/assembly data packages for manufacturers.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of mechanical engineering experience in hardware development with a Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering or related field — or equivalent practical experience, including direct experience on UAV/UAS platforms (airframe, payload integration, or flight-critical structures)
• Prior experience managing engineers — direct reports, performance management, and resource/project allocation
• Excellence in parametric CAD (SolidWorks required)
• Strong FEA experience: linear static, linear dynamic, nonlinear dynamic, thermal
• Hands-on rapid prototyping experience: FDM, SLA, MJF, CO2 laser, fiber laser, press brake
• Significant composites experience — layup, tooling, and design for manufacturing with composite materials — in addition to sheet metal, molded polymers, and ceramic component design/manufacturing
• Demonstrated experience taking designs from prototype to production
• Demonstrated understanding of designing for staged scaling of a product, including staffing and process scaling as team size grows

Benefits

• Significant stock options with high potential upside as an early-stage company
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Full health coverage (medical, dental, and vision insurance)
• Relocation assistance provided (if applicable)
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid parental leave for both parents
• Lunch provided when working in-office and a fully stocked kitchenette
• Free EV charging at HQ

About Rainmaker

Rainmaker uses drone-based cloud seeding to increase rainfall, restore ecosystems, and fight drought. Learn how our scalable weather technology brings water to the west.