Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering
About BRINC:
At BRINC, we are redefining public safety with an innovative ecosystem of life-saving tools. Our journey started with the development of drones and ruggedized throw phones, designed to access unsafe areas and establish communication to de-escalate situations. Today, we've expanded into creating and deploying 911 response networks, where drones are dispatched to 911 calls to provide real-time visual data, enhancing safety and enabling de-escalation-focused responses. Our cutting-edge solutions are utilized by over 600 public safety agencies across America and the company has raised over $150M from investors, including Index Ventures, Motorola Solutions, Sam Altman, Dylan Field, Mike Volpe, Alexandr Wang and more. At BRINC, we are committed to recruiting the world's best talent to join us in our mission to support first responders in saving lives.
About this Role:
The Senior Manager, Mechanical Engineering leads, grows, and manages a high-performing mechanical engineering team responsible for designing and delivering the hardware at the core of BRINC’s life-saving drone systems. This role requires a rare combination of deep technical expertise and strong people leadership - someone who can set system-level architecture one moment and resolve a tolerance stack the next. From R&D to Production, you will drive innovation across the full product lifecycle, navigating ambiguity with confidence and thriving in environments where speed, resourcefulness, and precision are equally critical.
As a senior technical leader within the engineering organization, you will work closely with software, electrical, autonomy, and manufacturing teams to deliver robust, manufacturable, and safety-critical hardware. Engineering roles at BRINC require a high level of ownership and initiative, with the ability to define the problem, build the plan, and execute - without waiting for perfect information.
Key Responsibilities:
Develop and execute the mechanical engineering strategy in alignment with the company’s product goals, spanning R&D, manufacturing, and sustaining engineering.
Own hardware development end-to-end — specification, design, prototyping, validation, and manufacturing handoff — with full accountability for performance, schedule, and cost.
Lead, mentor, and grow the mechanical engineering team, fostering a culture of technical excellence, intellectual curiosity, and continuous improvement.
Identify skill gaps and development opportunities across the team; create pathways for professional and technical growth.
Establish top-level design architectures and implementation methodologies; clearly communicate design decisions and tradeoffs to internal stakeholders and executive leadership.
Drive rigorous design analysis and testing programs, making data-driven decisions to validate key product features and ensure reliability in safety-critical drone operations.
Champion DFM/DFA/DFT discipline across all programs, working closely with manufacturing and supply chain partners to ensure designs are producible, testable, and scalable.
Collaborate cross-functionally with software, electrical, perception, controls, industrial design, and manufacturing engineers to deliver tightly integrated products.
Stay ahead of emerging technologies, materials, and methodologies — evaluating their potential to improve performance, reliability, and cost, and driving adoption where appropriate.
Manage engineering resources, timelines, and budgets with a frugal, mission-focused mindset, delivering high-quality outcomes even under tight constraints.
Communicate program status, technical risks, and critical path issues to engineering leadership and cross-functional stakeholders with clarity and accountability.
Qualifications:
8+ years of industry experience in mechanical engineering or product design, with demonstrated depth in the design, analysis, and development of mechanical or electromechanical systems.
3+ years in a people leadership role, with a proven track record of building and developing high-performing engineering teams.
Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering or related field; advanced degree preferred.
Demonstrated ability to thrive in fast-paced, resource-constrained environments - balancing urgency with rigor across multiple concurrent programs.
Deep experience in DFM (Design for Manufacturability), DFA (Design for Assembly), and DFT (Design for Test).
Strong command of statistical tolerance analysis, GD&T, and dimensioning.
Proficiency with industry-standard 3D CAD modeling tools and associated PDM/PLM systems.
Working knowledge of material properties (plastics, metals, adhesives, composites) and manufacturing techniques (stamping, machining, 3D printing, injection molding, sheet metal).
Ability to operate fluently across both the strategic and tactical - setting vision while executing on the smallest details.
Strong verbal and written communication skills; ability to convey complex technical concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders and executive audiences.
Preferred Skills:
Experience designing mechanical solutions for UAV/UAS, Aerospace, Robotics, Automotive, Consumer Electronics, or related industries.
In-depth understanding of electronics packaging and designing for high-stress shock and vibration environments; hands-on experience with failure analysis and FEA (Finite Element Analysis).
Experience managing domestic and international supply chain partners, including contract manufacturers and fabrication shops.
Demonstrated history of taking products from 0→1 - NPI experience from blank-sheet concept through first production build.
Intellectual curiosity and a habit of continuous learning - you follow the latest research, tear down competitors’ products, and bring new ideas to the table unprompted.
Comfort navigating ambiguity: you can define the problem, structure the plan, and drive execution without waiting for perfect information.
Experience with test fixture design, reliability testing, and qualification programs for safety-critical hardware.
BRINC Culture Values:
Try the hard stuff
Be innovative - Invent the future
Move fast
Listen to end-users
Strive for excellence
Don’t build a dystopia
Be frugal
Save lives through technology
If you’re interested in this role and in joining BRINC, we hope you’ll apply. We’d love to review your application and get to know more about you!
BRINC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer that is resolute in cultivating an environment that promotes safety, diversity, inclusion and equity. We’re committed to hiring the best talent — regardless of race, creed, color, ancestry, religion, sex (including pregnancy), national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship status, marital status, disability, gender identity, genetic information, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances — and empowering every employee so they can do their best work. If you have a disability or special need, please let our recruiting team know - we strive to provide appropriate accommodation and assistance.
Benefits and perks listed below may vary based on the nature of your employment with BRINC and/or the country within which you work
Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans for our employees and their families
401K plan
Maternity and paternity leave
Flexible Time Off (Exempt) / Paid time off (Non-Exempt)
Flexible work environment
Orca pass (for those in Puget Sound)
Free parking (Seattle office)
Free snacks, drinks and espresso (Seattle office)