We are seeking a Staff Propulsion Systems Manufacturing Engineer to lead manufacturing engineering activities for advanced propulsion and fluid systems used in aerospace and defense applications. This role supports engine integration, fuel systems, oil systems, pumps, and related propulsion hardware from development through production.
The ideal candidate has deep experience with propulsion-related manufacturing processes, fluid systems integration, and production support for mission-critical hardware.
What you'll do:
- Lead manufacturing engineering support for propulsion and fluid system assemblies
- Develop and optimize manufacturing processes, tooling, work instructions, and production flows for:
- Engines and propulsion systems
- Fuel systems and fuel tanks
- Oil and lubrication systems
- Pumps and fluid control hardware
- Aerospace vector and thrust systems
- Partner with design engineering to improve manufacturability, reliability, testability, and producibility
- Drive root cause investigations and corrective actions for propulsion manufacturing issues
- Develop work instructions, quality standards, and inspection methods
- Support supplier qualification, process validation, and production readiness reviews
- Lead DFM/DFA reviews and transition new products into manufacturing
- Support system integration, validation, and troubleshooting activities
- Define manufacturing standards, process controls, and acceptance criteria
- Support failure analysis and reliability improvement initiatives
- Collaborate with production, quality, supply chain, and test engineering teams
- Mentor junior manufacturing engineers
Tools & skills:
- MES & QMS systems
- 3DEXPERIENCE / Teamcenter (PLM) systems
- Supplier manufacturing processes
- 5S/visual management
- Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
Required qualifications:
- 7+ years of manufacturing engineering experience supporting propulsion or fluid systems
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, Manufacturing
- Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment.
- Experience with:
- Engine assembly and integration
- Fuel and oil systems
- Precision fluid system manufacturing
- Aerospace propulsion hardware
- Demonstrated ability to work in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment and adapt to changing priorities.
- Knowledge of manufacturing process development and production scaling
- Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles
- Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies
Preferred qualifications:
- Aerospace or defense industry experience
- Experience supporting turbine, piston, hybrid-electric, or UAV propulsion systems
- Knowledge of pressure systems, leak testing, and fluid handling
- Familiarity with lean manufacturing and production optimization
- Experience with ERP/MES systems and manufacturing data analysis
- Strong project management skills, including experience managing multiple priorities and deadlines
- Knowledge of quality standards, such as AS9100 or ISO 9001
- Proficiency in CAD software
Skills Required
- 7+ years manufacturing engineering experience supporting propulsion or fluid systems
- Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or Manufacturing
- Experience in prototype manufacturing in a startup or rapid-growth environment
- Experience with engine assembly and integration
- Experience with fuel and oil systems
- Experience with precision fluid system manufacturing
- Experience with aerospace propulsion hardware
- Knowledge of manufacturing process development and production scaling
- Strong understanding of DFM/DFA principles
- Experience with root cause analysis and corrective action methodologies
- Familiarity with MES & QMS systems
- Experience with 3DEXPERIENCE or Teamcenter PLM systems
- Knowledge of 5S/visual management and Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs)
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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Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
