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Our mission is to protect service members and civilians with intelligent systems.
The Role
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed defense technology company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices in San Diego, Dallas, Washington, D.C., Abu Dhabi (UAE), Kyiv (Ukraine), and Melbourne (Australia), Shield AI’s technology actively supports U.S. and allied operations worldwide. For more information, visit www.shield.ai. Follow Shield AI on LinkedIn,X, YouTubeand Instagram.
Job Description:
Shield AI builds AI pilots to enable teams of intelligent aircraft to operate in high-threat environments. As a Staff Propulsion Fluid Systems Engineer on the Group 5 UAV program, you will be responsible for the design, integration, and validation of flight-critical fluid systems supporting our advanced turbine propulsion architecture.
You’ll take ownership of high-performance fuel, air, and cooling circuits from flow path definition and component selection to system-level validation and integration. This is a fast-paced, hands-on role working with propulsion, thermal, and mechanical teams to deliver flight-ready hardware that supports long-endurance, jet-powered autonomous flight.
What you will do in this role:
- Design and develop fluid subsystems for propulsion support, including fuel routing, pressure regulation, air induction, and thermal transport
- Define flow path architecture, select and spec key components (pumps, valves, fittings, sensors), and build system-level performance models
- Simulate and analyze fluid behavior under varying flight conditions using Thermal Desktop, MATLAB/Simulink, and/or ANSYS Fluent
- Collaborate with propulsion, thermal, and mechanical engineers to integrate fluid systems into tight packaging constraints
- Develop test plans and instrumentation strategies to validate fluid system behavior and performance
- Support the build and operation of test articles, ground-based propulsion setups, and subsystem evaluations
- Contribute to engineering documentation, including block diagrams, interface definitions, and hazard analyses
- Participate in design reviews and advocate for best practices in fluid architecture and component placement
- Assist with vendor coordination and prototype procurement for valves, lines, and subsystem components
- Support flight test teams in instrumentation placement, pre-flight inspection, and post-flight data analysis
Required qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related field
- 8+ years of experience working with aerospace fluid systems, fuel circuits, or propulsion-adjacent subsystems
- Hands-on experience with the design, integration, and testing of high-reliability fluid systems
- Strong working knowledge of fluid system design fundamentals: pressure drop, cavitation, flow regime transitions, thermal effects
- Proficiency in modeling and simulation tools: Thermal Desktop, ANSYS Fluent, MATLAB/Simulink, or similar
- Familiarity with CAD-based collaboration (Creo/NX/Inventor) and flight hardware tolerancing
- Excellent communication and documentation skills; thrives in collaborative, cross-functional environments
Preferred qualifications:
- Experience supporting jet propulsion or hybrid-electric systems in aerospace or defense
- Familiarity with aerospace fittings, MIL-SPEC components, and thermal insulation strategies
- Exposure to fuel slosh, altitude effects on pressurization, or cryogenic fluids
- Background in flight test support or prototype-level validation
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Full-time regular employee offer package:
Pay within range listed + Bonus + Benefits + Equity
Temporary employee offer package:
Pay within range listed above + temporary benefits package (applicable after 60 days of employment)
Salary compensation is influenced by a wide array of factors including but not limited to skill set, level of experience, licenses and certifications, and specific work location. All offers are contingent on a cleared background and possible reference check. Military fellows and part-time employees are not eligible for benefits. Please speak to your talent acquisition representative for more information.
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Shield AI is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and is an affirmative action employer. We are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or Veteran status. If you have a disability or special need that requires accommodation, please let us know.
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The Company
What We Do
Founded in 2015, Shield AI is a venture-backed deep-tech company with the mission of protecting service members and civilians with intelligent systems. Its products include the V-BAT and X-BAT aircraft, Hivemind Enterprise, and the Hivemind Vision product lines. With offices and facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia-Pacific, Shield AI’s technology actively supports operations worldwide.
Why Work With Us
What makes Shield AI special is our people. We unlock the power of autonomy, and in the face of overwhelming odds and challenges, we find ways to win and make a difference for our customers. We bring together software, AI, and aerospace engineering disciplines to deploy the most intelligent aviation capabilities in the world.
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