Lead, Research & Development

ABOUT AIRBOUND:

Our mission is to make a world where everyone has access to delivery. Where goods move as freely as information moves today.

This is possible. Today the cost of moving on a scooter is 2 rs/km. That’s the cost of moving a 150kg mass from point A to B. We’re bringing that mass down to less than 5kgs, and thus, bringing the cost down to 10 paise/km. This is how we make 1 rupee deliveries a reality. This is how we create a world where we’re doing billions of deliveries per day.

The tech is not there. The current cost of drone delivery is 100rs/km. We need to completely redefine the way things are done here. We’re building the world’s most efficient aircraft from the ground-up, and scaling that up to beyond anything the aerospace sector has ever seen. This cannot be an iterative process. We have to tear down all conventions and build everything up from scratch.

To do this, we need nothing less than the best engineers. The ones who care about building something fundamentally different, who are deeply curious about understanding the fundamentals of everything they’re working on, who are dreamers that believe in the impossible.

ROLE SUMMARY: 

At Airbound, R&D is where we turn first-principle ideas into breakthrough aircraft. As R&D Lead, you will:

• Drive and manage multiple R&D sprints across mechanical and electronic systems.
• Work hands-on with lightweight composites, with strong functional knowledge of materials and processes.
• Use CAD tools to design, model, and refine mechanical systems for rapid prototyping and testing.
• Integrate actuators, sensors, PCBs, and embedded systems into working prototypes.
• Translate early concepts into flight-ready systems, testing rigorously and iterating fast
• Connect learnings across disciplines, ensuring mechanical, electronic, and materials systems work seamlessly together.
• Balance speed and rigor — knowing when to push experiments fast and when to refine deeply.
• Bring prior experience of leading R&D teams and having taken projects from concept to working products or systems.
• Lead a team that thrives on curiosity, systems thinking, and building from scratch.

PREFERRED SKILLS / REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Electronics, or a related field.
• 5+ years of experience in R&D for hardware, aerospace, robotics, or related deep-tech domains.
• Proven track record of taking projects from concept to functional prototypes or deployed systems.
• Strong hands-on skills across mechanical, electronic, and embedded systems prototyping.
• Proficiency with CAD and simulation tools for design and validation.
• Familiarity with composites, actuators, sensors, and embedded controllers.
• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage multiple R&D sprints.
• Strong problem-solving ability with a first-principles mindset and a bias for rapid iteration.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to connect learnings across domains.