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Shield AI, a venture-backed defense-tech company, is seeking a Staff Engineer for Aircraft Configuration Design to support the development of next-generation autonomous unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). This role sits at the intersection of aerodynamics, structures, propulsion, and mission systems integration—core to Shield AI's Hivemind autonomy software and V-BAT/X-BAT aircraft platforms.
You will lead conceptual and preliminary design efforts for UAV platforms, ensuring optimal aerodynamic and structural configurations. Key responsibilities include aircraft sizing, weight estimation, and trade studies to evaluate different airframe configurations. You'll work across multi-disciplinary engineering teams (mechanical, electrical, propulsion, avionics) to ensure seamless system integration and develop 3D CAD models of aircraft structures, subsystems, and flight-critical components.
You will perform aerodynamic and structural analysis using computational tools (FEA, CFD) to assess feasibility and performance impacts, participate in design reviews and system trade studies, and support rapid prototyping and wind tunnel testing of scaled models to validate design concepts. You'll also assist in requirements development, documentation, and verification planning for aircraft subsystems, ensuring designs comply with manufacturing feasibility, mission requirements, and aerospace industry standards.
The role requires close collaboration with manufacturing and production teams to transition designs from concept through prototype to full-scale production. This is ideal for a mechanical or aerospace engineer with deep expertise in aircraft design, multi-disciplinary systems integration, and iterative prototyping in a fast-paced defense technology environment.
Required: Bachelor's in Aerospace, Mechanical, or Systems Engineering; 5+ years in aircraft design, configuration layout, or airframe integration; proficiency in CAD (NX, SolidWorks, or similar); understanding of aerodynamics, structures, and propulsion integration; ability to perform FEA, CFD, or weight & balance assessments; strong problem-solving and cross-functional collaboration skills; excellent technical communication; Active Secret clearance.
Preferred: Master's degree; UAV or aircraft conceptual design experience; aircraft performance modeling and flight dynamics knowledge; hands-on rapid prototyping, wind tunnel testing, or flight hardware development; composite materials and aerospace structural design expertise; startup or defense environment experience; TS clearance or ability to obtain one.
