Senior Mechanical / Aerospace Engineer (gn) @ Autonomous Vehicle Venture, Valencia

This is a FoodLabs portfolio venture. Find out more about us and other opportunities in our portfolio here.

About the Venture
At Voltrac, we are on a mission to strengthen Europe’s food security and defence with an autonomous electric tractor to free farmers from drudgery and keep soldiers out of harm’s way. The 3.5 tonnes platform is currently being tested at vineyards, olive orchards and citrus groves across Spain - check out our website to see it in action. We are about to scale manufacturing to 100 units yearly, and are looking to match the sales accordingly.

As part of this scaling efforts, we are looking to strengthen our engineering team. You'll work closely with the founders and contribute to every stage of product development: from understanding end-user needs through to prototyping, manufacturing, and scaling for market adoption. Within 12 months, the aim is to evolve from first customer delivery to regular production. If you're driven by curiosity, thrive in tackling hard engineering problems, and are motivated by building real-world impact with a team of sharp, mission-driven peers – this role could be a great fit.

Who we are

Voltrac was founded by Francisco Infante Aguirre and Thomas Hubregtsen in 2024. Francisco used to build hydrogen-powered supersonic planes at Destinus and heavy-lifting eVTOLs at Volocopter, but comes from a family that builds and sells tractor implements in over 25 countries. Thomas used to accelerate Machine Learning using GPUs, TPUs, and Quantum Computers at Google X, IBM and BMW, as well as started San Francisco-based Extropic introducing Thermodynamic computers, but also had his first job at a farm.

Together, they set their sights on shaking up the market, competing directly with incumbents and startups alike. In their journey, they are supported by investors such as Extantia, Foodlabs, Antler, Push, and Prototype, who together committed a total of 9M in funding. With this, they were able to open up shop in a 1200 m² facility in Valencia, with 300 m² of natural‑light office and a 900 m² workshop. Valencia is consistently voted as one of Europe’s top places to live based on its low cost of living, excellent climate, and vibrant historic centre. The team is young, comes from different backgrounds, and loves to have team bbqs, but share one aim: shape Europe’s agriculture and defense with machines that do real work.

You'll take ownership of projects from concept to production – including hands-on prototyping, detailed design, and rigorous testing. The role spans a broad range of responsibilities and requires close collaboration with teams across R&D, manufacturing, and QA. More specifically, you will:

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  Use CAD, FEA, and engineering calculations to develop robust mechanical designs

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  Perform analysis and testing to validate and optimise system performance

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  Interface with suppliers and manage procurement for prototyping and production

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  Work in close collaboration with electronics, mechatronics, and software teams to bring prototypes to life

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  Lead field testing and iteration of functional prototypes

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  Optimise tools, processes, and designs for serial production

• Degree in Mechanical or Aerospace Engineering (or equivalent practical experience)

• Demonstrated experience in hardware development, with a track record of taking designs from idea to reality

• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills with a hands-on, pragmatic mindset

• Clear communicator with collaborative instincts, especially in multidisciplinary environments