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Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech company, is seeking a Staff Engineer for Actuated Systems to design and mature mechanical systems for autonomous aircraft platforms including the Ranger (R6347) vehicle. This role owns the full lifecycle of actuated systems hardware—from concept through production—including flight control surfaces, bay doors, and airframe mechanisms.
Key responsibilities include:
• Develop system layouts and installation concepts for actuators, mechanisms, linkages, brackets, and mounting provisions within vehicle packaging constraints.
• Own detailed CAD design of actuated systems hardware, including load paths, materials, GD&T, and tolerance stack-ups.
• Perform actuator sizing, kinematic layout, and installation analysis for flight control surfaces and deployable mechanisms.
• Execute hand calculations and basic FEA to substantiate brackets, mounts, and mechanical hardware.
• Define and resolve installation interfaces with structures, electrical systems, power systems, thermal management, and adjacent subsystems, including routing, clearances, and maintainability.
• Develop CAD models, drawings, interface definitions, and design data packages to program standards for SRR, PDR, and CDR reviews.
• Support component selection, technical specifications, supplier execution, prototype assembly, and test-fixture development.
• Define and execute qualification test plans per MIL-STD-810 and support MIL-HDBK-516 airworthiness certification.
This is a high-autonomy role requiring self-direction, technical prioritization, and delivery of functional hardware under tight timelines. Shield AI operates globally with facilities across the U.S., Europe, the Middle East, and Asia-Pacific.
REQUIREMENTS:
• 5–12 years of mechanical systems design experience in aerospace or comparable regulated industry, with hands-on experience designing actuated mechanisms or aircraft installations.
• B.S. or M.S. in Mechanical Engineering, Aerospace Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Deep mastery of mechanical design, kinematics, load paths, materials selection, GD&T, and tolerance stack-up methodologies.
• Demonstrated capability performing closed-form hand calculations and basic FEA for mechanisms, brackets, mounts, and structural components.
• Extensive experience in 3D CAD modeling, mechanical layouts, and drawing release using Siemens NX, CATIA, Creo, or equivalent PLM workflows.
• Demonstrated ability to develop actuator and mechanism installations satisfying packaging, load, clearance, maintainability, and vehicle-interface requirements.
• Proven track record sourcing COTS/custom aerospace components, driving suppliers to schedule, and assembling benchtop or vehicle-level test setups.
• Demonstrated ability to self-direct, prioritize technical tasks without oversight, and deliver functional hardware under tight timelines.
• Must be clearance-eligible.
PREFERRED:
• Aircraft flight control actuation, weapons bay door, landing gear, or deployable-mechanism design experience.
• Experience with electro-mechanical or electro-hydrostatic actuation systems.
• Familiarity with MIL-HDBK-516, MIL-STD-810, and airworthiness verification planning for mechanical systems.
• Hands-on machine shop, fabrication, mechanical assembly, or prototype-build experience in rapid R&D environments.
