Senior Engineer, Air Vehicle Fluid Systems
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Senior Aerostructures Design Engineer (R4721)
Designs and develops structural components for autonomous UAVs, from concept through production. Performs stress analysis, ensures manufacturability, and supports testing/integration with cross-functional teams. Requires 4+ years aircraft structural experience and CAD proficiency.
112k – 169kDallas, TXSan Diego, CAHardware EngineeringOnsite4+ YOE
About the role
Responsibilities
- Design and develop structural components and assemblies for Shield AI’s next-generation UAV platform, supporting both primary and secondary aircraft structures.
- Execute all stages of the design lifecycle including conceptual development, initial CAD modeling, detailed design, and drawing release.
- Perform hand calculations for stress or strain with limited basic FEA analysis, with guidance from senior engineers as needed.
- Collaborate closely with aerodynamics, propulsion, avionics, payload, and manufacturing teams to support system integration across airframe interfaces.
- Support structural validation efforts including coupon testing, subcomponent testing, and system-level verification.
- Generate high-quality design documentation, drawings, interface definitions, and analysis reports in compliance with aerospace standards.
- Partner with manufacturing and flight test teams to resolve build issues and support hardware through test and deployment.
- Participate in design reviews and technical discussions, presenting work clearly and incorporating feedback effectively.
- Continuously improve personal technical depth in structural layout, joints, fasteners, tolerancing, and structural optimization.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline.
- 4–5+ years of experience in aircraft structural design or closely related aerospace structures.
- Experience designing and releasing structural components in development or production environments.
- Working knowledge of composite and metallic structures, including fasteners, bonded joints, and load paths.
- Proficiency in CAD tools (NX, CATIA, SolidWorks, or similar).
- Understanding of GD&T, tolerance stackups, and DFMA principles.
- Strong written and verbal technical communication skills.
- Demonstrated ability to operate in fast-paced, high-ownership engineering environments.
Preferred Qualifications
- M.S. degree in Aerospace or Mechanical Engineering.
- Experience supporting UAV, DoD, or aerospace vehicle programs.
- Familiarity with aerospace standards (MIL-STD, ASME Y14.5, FAA).
- Experience supporting hardware through test, failure analysis, and design iteration.
- Exposure to composite design and manufacturing methods.
- Experience using FEA tools (ANSYS, Abaqus, NASTRAN, or similar) for linear structural analysis.
Skills
NxCATIASolidworksGD&TDfmaAnsysAbaqusNastranFEAComposites
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