Six Figure Work

Senior Electric Motor Propulsion Engineer

Skydio, Inc

Company websiteskydio.com (Skydio, Inc, opens in new tab)

Base salary $170,000  to $277,500

Employer-published annual base salary, USD. Advertised base range in San Mateo, CA

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  • LocationSan Mateo, CA
  • WorkplaceHybrid
  • Status at last checkSource accepting applications when checked
  • Last checked (2 h ago) · observed since

About this job

Skydio is the leading US drone company and the world leader in autonomous flight, the key technology for the future of drones and aerial mobility. The Skydio team combines deep expertise in artificial intelligence, best-in-class hardware and software product development, operational excellence, and customer obsession to empower a broader, more diverse audience of drone users, from utility inspectors to first responders, soldiers in battlefield scenarios, and beyond.

About the role:
We are looking for an engineer with a focus on electric motors and propulsion systems to help model, architect, optimize, and refine the electric propulsion systems that power our drones.

How you'll make an impact:

  • Strong mathematical and physical understanding on motor power and loss mechanisms

  • Excellent knowledge on finite element method

  • Knowledge on motor thermal modeling

  • Experience on electric motor loss characterization

  • Knowledge on motor control theory

What makes you a good fit:

  • Being able to model, architect, and optimize a propulsion system, from ESCs to motors to propellers

  • Understanding electric motor losses and flux, develop test plans and perform measurements

  • Detailed motor design and optimization to optimize performance, efficiency and size

  • Explore and design innovative motor technologies

  • Create simulation model for thermal model development and system engineering

  • Integrate and optimize with motor control team and ESCs

  • Familiarity with construction and manufacturing techniques of outrunner PMSMs in the ~500W size class

  • End to end understanding of drone propulsion systems, from battery to ESC to motors to propellors

  • Obtaining FAA Part 107 certification within the first 60 days of employment is strongly encouraged for all Skydio employees and required for certain positions

Compensation: At Skydio, our compensation packages for regular, full-time employees include competitive base salaries, equity in the form of stock options, and comprehensive benefits packages. Compensation will vary based on factors, including skill level, proficiencies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - $277,500*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-term financial growth, and we ensure all regular, full-time employees have the opportunity to significantly benefit from the company's success. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to enroll in the Company’s group health insurance plans. Regular, full-time employees are eligible to receive the following benefits: Paid vacation time, sick leave, holiday pay and 401K savings plan. This position and all associated benefits are subject to applicable federal, state, and local laws, as well as the Company’s policies and eligibility criteria.

*Compensation for certain positions may vary based on the position’s location.

#LI-JC2

At Skydio we believe that diversity drives innovation. We have created a multidisciplinary environment that embraces the power of diverse perspectives to create elegant solutions for complex problems. We are committed to growing our network of people, programs, and resources to nurture an inclusive culture.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by federal, state or local anti-discrimination laws.

For positions located in the United States of America, Skydio, Inc. uses E-Verify to confirm employment eligibility. To learn more about E-Verify, including your rights and responsibilities, please visit https://www.e-verify.gov/

Source: Skydio, Inc on Ashby · View original posting (opens in new tab)

Pay in context

This role's base floor ($170,000) is above 72% of the 2,102 Engineering (non-software) roles in California listed on this site; 31 others list the same floor. Their median floor is $146,200; the middle half runs from $124,000 to $173,750.

Only jobs on this site count, and each one publishes a base salary of $100,000 or more, so this compares six-figure jobs with each other, not with the whole market. Computed Nov 7, 2026.

This range next to 6 other live Skydio, Inc roles with the nearest advertised base floor
Chart as a table
This range next to 6 other live Skydio, Inc roles with the nearest advertised base floor
RolePublished base
Senior Electric Motor Propulsion Engineer (this listing)$170,000 - $277,500
Field Readiness Lead, Solutions Engineering$170K - $215K
Engineering Manager - Autonomy$170K - $276K
Senior Hardware Operations Program Manager$170K - $230K
Senior Hardware Test and Reliability Engineer$170K - $230K
Senior Software Engineer, Full Stack$170K - $240K
Senior Autonomy Engineer, Data Curation$170K - $240K

Same $100K to $400K scale as every card. All Skydio, Inc roles · How to read the bar

Observed changes

  1. First observed on the employer's board
  2. Began meeting the published-salary criteria
Observed since
Employer-stated posting date
2026-10-09
Where this pay comes from

Location as the employer wrote it: San Mateo, California, United States

ncies, transferable knowledge, and experience. Relocation assistance may also be provided for eligible roles. The annual base salary range for this position is $170,000 - $277,500*. Fundamentally, we believe that equity is the key to long-

Method
Employer text, read with fixed rules and re-verified
Checked
Rule set
us-base-v2

The pay passage appears in the employer's own job text. Fixed, deterministic rules located it, and the passage below was checked against the stored copy of the posting.

What we verified

  • The pay figures come from the employer's own listing, quoted exactly above.
  • The pay is an annual base salary in US dollars with a minimum of at least $100,000.
  • The role was publicly listed on the employer's job board when last checked.

We do not verify what the employer will actually offer, whether the employer is still recruiting for the role, or anything beyond what the employer published. Full methodology.