What you'll do:
- Lead the design and development of structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next-gen UAV platform, with a focus on primary and secondary aircraft structures.
- Own the structural design lifecycle including concept generation, CAD modeling, detail design, and drawing release, ensuring high quality and traceability.
- Use FEA tools to perform and guide linear and nonlinear structural analysis, stress analysis, and margin assessment under operational loads and edge cases.
- Work closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to ensure seamless system integration across airframe and subsystem interfaces.
- Support and lead efforts in material selection, focusing on composites, aluminum alloys, and advanced manufacturing approaches suited to mission and environment.
- Participate in and lead design reviews, architecture discussions, and technical decision-making forums related to structural systems.
- Oversee the design and execution of structural validation testing, including coupon-level, subcomponent, and full-system testing.
- Guide the development of design documentation, analysis reports, interface definitions, and verification plans in compliance with MIL-STD, FAA, and internal Shield AI standards.
- Mentor junior engineers and review team members’ work for technical rigor, performance, and manufacturability.
- Collaborate with the manufacturing and flight test teams to transition designs from engineering to production and field deployment.
- Identify opportunities to improve design processes, configuration management, and team workflows for increased engineering velocity and design quality.
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or a related discipline.
- 10+ years of experience in aircraft structural design, with demonstrated ownership of components or systems in development, test, or production.
- Deep understanding of composite and metallic structures, including material behavior, joints, and thermal/environmental effects.
- Expertise in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, or SolidWorks) and FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar).
- Experience conducting or overseeing stress analysis, fatigue analysis, and design optimization.
- Strong working knowledge of DFMA, GD&T, tolerance stackups, and structural layout principles.
- Clear, concise technical communication skills and experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts.
- A track record of technical excellence, high ownership, and a mission-driven mindset in challenging engineering environments.
- Ability to get a S//SAR level security clearance desired.
Preferred qualifications:
- M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
- Strong NX CAD skills
- Experience supporting or leading Group 3–5 UAV, DoD aircraft, or high-performance aerospace vehicle programs.
- Knowledge of aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA FARS) and certification pathways.
- Prior experience in flight vehicle integration, manufacturing liaison, or production support.
- Familiarity with model-based engineering, digital twin development, or configuration management tools.
- Demonstrated experience in failure analysis, design iteration, and test correlation.
- Previous work in startup, R&D, or high-growth defense environments where agility and innovation are key.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's or Master's degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or related engineering discipline
- 10+ years experience in aircraft structural design with ownership of components or systems in development, test, or production
- Deep understanding of composite and metallic structures, material behavior, joints, and thermal/environmental effects
- Expertise in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks) and FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN or similar)
- Experience conducting or overseeing stress analysis, fatigue analysis, design optimization, and margin assessment
- Strong working knowledge of DFMA, GD&T, tolerance stackups, and structural layout principles
- Experience planning or overseeing structural validation testing (coupon, subcomponent, full-system)
- Clear, concise technical communication skills and experience leading cross-functional engineering efforts
- Proven track record of technical excellence, high ownership, and mission-driven mindset in challenging engineering environments
- Ability to obtain S//SAR level security clearance
- M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering
- Strong NX CAD skills and experience with Group 3-5 UAV or DoD/high-performance aerospace programs
- Knowledge of aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA FARs) and certification pathways
- Experience with flight vehicle integration, manufacturing liaison, production support, model-based engineering, or digital twin development
- Demonstrated experience in failure analysis, design iteration, and test correlation; startup or R&D/high-growth defense environment experience
What the Team is Saying
Shield AI Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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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.
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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.
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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.
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Shield AI Teams
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Shield AI Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
