Lead Mechanical Engineer

Kanata, ON, Canada .
full-time . August 5, 2026

Description

About Remote Robotic Systems

Help build rugged, mission-critical hardware operating at the intersection of robotics, autonomy, and defence technology.

Remote Robotic Systems (RRS) is a Canadian robotics and defence-tech company helping organizations deploy enterprise-grade drones, uncrewed aircraft, robotic platforms, sensors, payloads, and remote operations technologies for mission-critical applications. Our solutions support customers across defence, public safety, security, industrial, infrastructure, energy, and government sectors.

Through our Airmetal team, we develop advanced aerospace and technology products designed to perform reliably in demanding real-world environments.

As part of that mission, we're developing ruggedized hardware and electronics systems that must survive where ordinary products fail, including exposure to water, dust, sand, vibration, impact, and temperature extremes. These products need to be durable, lightweight, manufacturable, and reliable in the field.

We're a small, fast-moving engineering team that values ownership, technical depth, practical problem solving, and the ability to turn ambitious ideas into robust, manufacturable products.

The Role

Airmetal is looking for a Lead Mechanical Engineer to own hardware development from concept through production.

This is a broad, senior engineering role that combines product design, materials engineering, electronics integration, environmental testing, ruggedization, and design for manufacture. You'll be responsible for making critical hardware decisions, solving difficult engineering problems, and helping transform prototypes into reliable products that can survive demanding real-world use.

Working closely with electronics, manufacturing, and leadership teams, you'll drive product development across the full lifecycle, from CAD and prototyping through testing, validation, and production readiness. You'll spend significant time in both the lab and the design environment, helping ensure products are not only functional, but also durable, manufacturable, and scalable.

We're looking for a hands-on engineering leader who combines strong mechanical design fundamentals with materials expertise, practical problem-solving skills, and a passion for building products that perform in the field.

What You Will Work On

Hardware & Product Design

Own mechanical and product design from concept through production-ready hardware.
Design and develop ruggedized enclosures, assemblies, and hardware systems.
Create manufacturable designs that balance performance, reliability, cost, and ease of assembly.
Drive product architecture and key technical decisions throughout development.
Develop and maintain CAD models, drawings, and engineering documentation.

Materials & Ruggedization

Lead material selection, process development, and ruggedization efforts for harsh-environment products.
Evaluate coatings, encapsulation methods, sealing approaches, polymers, adhesives, and other materials technologies.
Solve durability challenges related to water, dust, sand, impact, vibration, and temperature extremes.
Prototype and validate materials and manufacturing processes.
Define design approaches that improve product durability and field performance.

Electronics Integration

Work closely with electronics engineers to integrate control, power, communications, and RF hardware.
Design solutions that support cooling, protection, serviceability, and long-term reliability.
Understand how packaging decisions affect electronics performance and system reliability.
Support cross-functional development efforts across mechanical, electrical, and manufacturing teams.

Testing & Validation

Define and execute environmental and reliability test programs.
Conduct ingress, immersion, dust, sand, vibration, shock, humidity, and thermal testing.
Analyze test results and drive design improvements based on real-world data.
Support qualification, certification, and validation activities as products mature.

Design for Manufacture

Drive part-count reduction, assembly simplification, and manufacturing efficiency improvements.
Support transition from prototype to low-volume and production manufacturing.
Develop fixtures, processes, and assembly methods that improve repeatability and quality.
Work with suppliers and manufacturing partners to solve production challenges.

Core Requirements

Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Materials Engineering, Product Design Engineering, or a related discipline.
Strong mechanical design and product development experience with products that progressed from concept through manufacturable hardware.
Hands-on experience with materials selection, ruggedization, environmental protection, or durability engineering.
Experience designing products intended for demanding operating environments.
Understanding of environmental and reliability testing including ingress protection, thermal, humidity, vibration, and shock testing.
Strong CAD and product design experience.
Demonstrated design-for-manufacture and design-for-assembly capability.
Hands-on build-test-iterate mindset with the ability to work effectively in the lab.
Ability to own ambiguous problems from definition through implementation.
Able to work on-site in Kanata, Ontario.

Nice to Have

Experience ruggedizing electronics for aerospace, robotics, automotive, marine, defence, or industrial applications.
Familiarity with MIL-STD-810, IEC 60529, IP ratings, or similar environmental qualification standards.
Experience with compact electronics, RF systems, embedded hardware, or portable devices.
Injection molding, silicone molding, casting, vacuum degassing, or plastics design experience.
Familiarity with snap-fit design, fastener reduction, and assembly optimization.
Experience taking products from prototype through production.
Awareness of RF and antenna integration considerations.
P.Eng. designation or eligibility for licensure in Ontario.

What Will Make You Successful

You enjoy solving difficult engineering problems that span materials, mechanics, manufacturing, and electronics.
You trust testing and measured performance over assumptions.
You can move comfortably between CAD, prototypes, testing, and production challenges.
You take ownership of outcomes and follow through on commitments.
You thrive in a highly collaborative environment with blurred lines between design, prototyping, and manufacturing.
You combine strong technical depth with practical engineering judgement.
You enjoy simplifying products and finding elegant solutions to complex problems.

What We Offer

The opportunity to lead the development of ruggedized hardware products from concept through production.
Direct impact on product architecture, materials selection, reliability, and manufacturability.
Hands-on involvement in design, prototyping, testing, and production development.
Exposure to robotics, aerospace, autonomy, sensing, communications, and defence technologies.
Close collaboration within a highly technical and entrepreneurial engineering team.
A fast-paced environment where your work has a visible impact.
Competitive compensation, benefits, and equity participation.

Employment Details

Type: Full-time

Location: On-site in Kanata, ON

Compensation: $110,000-$130,000 plus equity and benefits, based on experience and fit for the role.

Travel: Occasional travel to suppliers, test labs, and field trials may be required.

This posting is for an existing, open vacancy.

Security clearance: Some roles are conditional on the ability to obtain and maintain the required security clearance.

Use of AI in hiring: We may use AI tools to help with parts of our hiring process, such as reviewing applications, screening resumes, and evaluating candidate responses. These tools support our team, but people make all hiring decisions. AI is used to assist, not replace, human judgment.

Application Process

If you're excited about product development, ruggedized hardware, advanced materials, and solving complex engineering challenges, we'd love to hear from you.

Submit your resume and a short note on a piece of hardware you took from concept to production, including one materials or ruggedization problem you solved and how you proved it. A portfolio of hardware, ruggedization, or materials work is welcome.

Remote Robotic Systems is an equal opportunity employer. If you require accommodation during the recruitment process, please let us know.

Compensation

$110,000.00 - $130,000.00 per year

Know someone who would be a perfect fit? Let them know!