As a Staff Aircraft Thermal Engineer you will solve many of the most challenging thermal problems on the XBAT aircraft program, including hot exhaust gas management and aircraft-level thermal environments and characterization and more.
This role is best suited for an engineer who thrives on first-principles problem solving, can operate autonomously in solving challenging thermal problems, and bridges technical disciplines with clear communication. You will shape designs, guide engineering peers in thermal disciplines, and deliver robust thermal solutions that meet mission-critical aerospace requirements.
What you'll do:
- Execute thermal analysis and characterization efforts for unmanned aerial vehicle aircraft-level thermal systems.
- Architect and validate analytical, numerical, and computational models for heat transfer and fluid flow using hand calculations, finite difference methods, and CFD tools such as FloEFD.
- Execute trade studies, make system architecture decisions, own requirements generation, and make technical risk assessments.
- Define and oversee test planning, instrumentation, and data analysis to correlate models with experimental results.
- Mentor and guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal/fluid fundamentals.
- Communicate technical findings through design reviews and technical reports.
- Proactively identify thermal risks, propose solutions, and influence aircraft thermal design.
Required qualifications:
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
- Minimum 7 years of professional experience in thermal engineering.
- Deep expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics.
- Advanced understanding of active and passive cooling solutions.
- Knowledge of thermal management techniques for aircraft bays, engine bays, and hot surfaces.
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., FloEFD, STAR-CCM+, Thermal Desktop).
- Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar
- Demonstrated ability to apply first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems.
- Strong communication and leadership skills.
- Demonstrated record of working hard, being a trustworthy teammate, holding yourself and others 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.
- Extensive experience with high-altitude aircraft thermal management, analysis, and design.
- Familiarity with aircraft integration constraints (power, weight, volume, maintainability, safety).
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation.
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to aerospace thermal management.
- Experience guiding trade studies.
- Background in multi-disciplinary system integration, spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering.
Skills Required
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
- Minimum 7 years of professional experience in thermal engineering
- Deep expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics
- Advanced understanding of active and passive cooling solutions
- Knowledge of thermal management techniques for aircraft bays, engine bays, and hot surfaces
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (e.g., FloEFD, STAR-CCM+, Thermal Desktop)
- Proficiency with CAD design tools such as NX, SolidWorks, or similar
- Demonstrated ability to apply first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems
- Strong communication and leadership skills
- Demonstrated record of teamwork, high standards, and professional conduct
- Ability to obtain a S//SAR level security clearance
- M.S. in a relevant engineering discipline
- Extensive experience with high-altitude aircraft thermal management, analysis, and design
- Familiarity with aircraft integration constraints (power, weight, volume, maintainability, safety)
- Hands-on experience with thermal and fluid system testing, instrumentation, and validation
- Knowledge of materials and manufacturing methods relevant to aerospace thermal management
- Experience guiding trade studies
- Background in multi-disciplinary system integration spanning avionics, fluid systems, and systems engineering
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.
