Are you a passionate and innovative thermal engineer looking to help develop state-of-the-art AI and aircraft products? Are you eager to make a positive difference in the world? Do you want to work alongside mission driven and values focused teammates? Shield AI is just the place for you!
As a Thermal Engineer at Shield AI, you will own the design, analysis, and integration of thermal management systems for the launch and recovery system structural and electronics components. This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, is comfortable with ambiguous, open-ended challenges, and can communicate well across functions, ensuring well- coordinated thermal management solutions.
You’ll work across disciplines to ensure structural integrity, manufacturability, and mission-readiness in one of the most advanced autonomous aircraft platforms being built today. This role is ideal for an experienced thermal engineer who thrives in fast-paced, high-ownership environments and is passionate about building systems that matter.
What you'll do:
- Own thermal solutions for the autonomous aircraft launch and recovery system
- Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations and CFD tools such as FloEFD.
- Prototype, test, and iterate mechanism designs for functionality and reliability
- Provide technical leadership in trade studies, system architecture decisions, and risk assessments.
- Drive test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results.
- Proactively identify risks, propose solutions, and influence mechanical, electrical and/or PCBA design direction.
- Collaborate with mechanical, electrical, avionics, flight controls, manufacturing, and test teams
- Support pre-production builds, prototype integration, and ground/flight testing on the pathway to production and field deployment
- Participate in design reviews, architecture discussions, and technical decision-making forums related to structural systems.
- Identify opportunities to improve design processes, configuration management, and team workflows for increased engineering velocity and design quality.
Required qualifications:
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
- 2+ years of professional experience in thermal engineering.
- Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
- Strong understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level.
- Understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
- Experience with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
- Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment.
- A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
Preferred qualifications:
- M.S. in a relevant engineering discipline.
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to thermal management
- MIL-STD-810, structural, or actuated mechanism testing experience
- Ability to thrive in startup, R&D, or defense innovation environments
Skills Required
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
- 2+ years of professional experience in thermal engineering.
- Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
- Strong understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and their integration at component and system level.
- Understanding of thermal management design elements including TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans.
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+).
- Experience with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar.
- Demonstrated experience applying first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills.
- Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges in a fast paced, startup environment.
- A demonstrated record of working hard, being trustworthy, holding yourself to high standards, and being kind to others.
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance (desired).
- M.S. in a relevant engineering discipline.
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to thermal management.
- MIL-STD-810, structural, or actuated mechanism testing experience.
- Ability to thrive in startup, R&D, or defense innovation environments.
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
-
Healthcare Strength — Company materials describe excellent medical, dental, and vision coverage alongside a mental‑health EAP. Site perks such as an onsite gym in DC and a gym discount in San Diego support a health‑focused offering.
-
Retirement Support — Careers materials highlight a 401(k) with company match as part of the standard package. A Total Rewards overview emphasizes retirement features within a broader, transparent compensation view.
-
Career-Linked Recognition & Rewards — Compensation for in‑demand technical and senior go‑to‑market roles is described as competitive, with visible engineering ranges and top‑end packages. This points to meaningful upside tied to role, level, and scarce skills.
Shield AI Insights
What We Do
At Shield AI, you won't wait years to see your work reach the field. You'll build hardware and software that operates in the real world right now, in the hands of the people who depend on it. Hivemind, our AI pilot, has been flying since 2018. It has flown more than 30 platforms, including an F-16, and it now sits under a U.S. Air Force production contract for Collaborative Combat Aircraft. When you write code or shape a system here, you contribute to technology with a proven flight record and a clear production future. V-BAT flies intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance missions with an operational record that stretches from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific. It delivers eyes where they matter most, in the most demanding conditions on earth. The teams behind it watch their work get tested where the stakes are real. X-BAT takes its first flight this year. It's an AI-piloted fighter that needs no runway, built to operate where traditional aircraft can't. Join now and you help shape a program at its earliest, most formative stage. That's the kind of ground-floor work that defines a career. Do the most impactful work of your life, on problems that matter. Autonomy at this level asks a lot of you. You'll take on problems in perception, planning, and control that few teams anywhere are equipped to solve. You'll work across disciplines, from aerospace and robotics to machine learning and systems engineering, alongside people who hold themselves to an exacting standard and expect the same from you. Our mission is clear: protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems. That purpose runs through every decision, every design review, and every deployment. It's why the work here carries a weight you can feel. Ready to join our mission? Explore our open roles and find where you fit.
Why Work With Us
Founded in 2015 by a former Navy SEAL, Shield AI builds AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft. Veterans aren't an afterthought here, they're at every level. It's why the work carries weight: AI pilots and uncrewed aircraft flying real missions, from Ukraine to the Indo-Pacific, protecting service members and civilians.
Gallery
%203.jpg)
Shield AI Teams
.jpg)
Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
