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Shield AI is a venture-backed defense-tech company developing autonomous systems and aircraft for military and civilian applications. The company produces Hivemind autonomy software, V-BAT and X-BAT unmanned aerial vehicles, and Aechelon simulation technologies, with global operations across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
As Engineer II, Avionics Thermal Engineering, you will own the complete thermal management lifecycle for unmanned aerial vehicle avionics systems. This role combines hands-on engineering with technical leadership across cross-functional teams.
Key responsibilities:
- Design, analyze, and integrate aircraft avionics thermal management systems and electronics cooling solutions
- Develop and validate analytical, numerical, and computational thermal models using hand calculations and CFD tools (FloEFD, ANSYS Icepak, STAR-CCM+)
- Lead trade studies, system architecture decisions, and risk assessments for thermal solutions
- Plan and execute thermal testing, instrumentation, and data analysis to validate models against experimental results
- Guide cross-disciplinary teams in applying thermal and fluid mechanics fundamentals
- Communicate technical findings through design reviews and written reports
- Identify thermal risks proactively and influence electrical and PCBA design direction
This role is ideal for an engineer who excels at first-principles problem-solving, thrives with ambiguous challenges, and communicates effectively across functions. You will work alongside mission-driven teammates in a fast-paced startup environment.
REQUIREMENTS:
- B.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related discipline
- Minimum 2 years of professional experience in avionics or electronics thermal engineering
- Strong expertise in heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation) and fluid mechanics
- Strong understanding of active and passive cooling solutions and system-level integration
- Knowledge of thermal management design elements: TIMs, spreaders, heat sinks, vapor chambers, heat pipes, and fans
- Proficiency with thermal analysis and CFD tools (ANSYS Icepak, FloEFD, STAR-CCM+)
- Experience with CAD design tools (NX, SolidWorks, or equivalent)
- Demonstrated ability to apply first-principles reasoning to complex engineering problems
- Strong written and verbal communication skills
- Proven ability to learn and adapt quickly to new tools, processes, and technical challenges
PREFERRED:
- M.S. in a relevant engineering discipline
- Experience with high-altitude aircraft avionics cooling and thermal 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 thermal management
